Sorceress
by Swanheart
Summary: New girl. Overdone plot, I know. But just read. Please? Yes she is a Mary-Sue, I know that too.
1. Arrival

Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall or any of the other HP characters. They belong to JK Rowling. Or Warner Bros. I can never be sure. I do, however, own Aurora. SHE IS MINE! (and Lana as well)

A couple of explanations : In HP, a sorcerer/sorceress is a wizard/witch. In this, they are different. It's difficult to explain how, it just is. Please except it.

Yes, I was once called Willow Isilme Edra, but (go me!) I forgot the password. So, this is now me. Just ignore the other one. Believe it doesn't exist. This is basically the same story as the last one, but new chapter should be added.

This is a sort of a HP/Eddings crossover, with Aurora being based on Pol's looks, but not her character.__

Any helpful comments would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I know she's a Mary Sue, just except it, OK?

This chapter is dedicated to Addie, who helped me with ideas and my writer's block. THANKS ADDIE! (She hates it when I call her that!)

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 She threw open the large wooden doors, and stood, dripping wet, in the large entrance hall of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her name was Aurora, and she was a new student to the school. Very new, in fact, because she was not a witch, but a sorceress, the first one to have ever gone to Hogwarts. 

 "Are you alright my dear?" asked a passing ghost. 

 "Well, no actually…"

 "Hello?" said a voice behind her. 

 Aurora turned around. 

 "Erm… hi," she said. "I was looking for the headmaster. Professor…" she glanced down at the sheet of parchment in her hand. "Dumbledore," she finished. 

"I am the deputy head, Professor McGonagall. The headmaster's study is this way," she pointed up the staircase in front of her, "but you will need someone to take you there." Her eyes scanned around the entrance hall, now bustling with students on their way to the next lesson, a lot of them staring curiously at this black hooded and cloaked newcomer into the school. "Ah!" Her eyes settled on a worthy candidate. "Hermione? Miss Granger?" A girl of about Aurora's own age stopped and came towards them, with two boys, one dark haired and one ginger.

 "Would you mind taking Miss…?" 

 "Polgana. Aurora Polgana," Aurora answered. 

 "Ah yes. Miss Polgana. I have heard a lot about you." 

 "Oh dear, that can't be good," said Aurora. 

 "No, most of it was not good. Miss Granger, would you mind taking Miss Polgana to the headmaster's study?" 

 "OK," answered the girl. "I have transfiguration next anyway." 

 "I know, and that is why I am sending you. Do Harry and Ron really need to go with you?" Both boys nodded. As the dark haired one nodded, his hair bounced away from his forehead to reveal a lightning-shaped scar. She sighed. "Go then, but do not be long." 

          "This way," said the girl. "I'm Hermione. This is Harry," she pointed at the dark haired boy, "and that's Ron," she pointed at the ginger one, who smiled. 

 "I'm Aurora." 

 "We guessed," said Ron. "Why are you here, anyway?" 

 "Well…" said Aurora. "I was meant to arrive here at the start of term, but then something came up, so…"

 "Are you a muggle?" asked Ron. 

 "A what now?" 

 "Muggle. You know. Non magic folk." 

 "Oh! No!" 

 "But you're not a witch are you?" asked Hermione.

 "How did you know?" enquired Aurora. 

 "I don't know really, you can just _tell_." 

They had reached the large stone phoenix that was the outside of Dumbledore's study. 

 "Cockroach cluster," said Harry, and the steps appeared. "You had better go up alone, and we" he glanced at Hermione and Ron, "had better get back to class. See you soon!" 

 "Sure!" shouted Aurora after them. "Goody goodies!" she muttered under her breath. 

Aurora climbed the stone steps slowly and carefully. When she reached the top, she heard voices coming from within.

 "Really Lucius, I cannot help it if Draco…"

 "Yes you can, Dumbledore!" That must be Lucius, thought Aurora. Where had she read about someone called Lucius? 

 "Father, just leave it. He'll never listen." 

 "Really, Mr. Malfoy!" That must be the headmaster, Dumbledore, thought Aurora. Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy… where had she heard that name? In book? From Lana? Something to do with the Dark Lord? 

 Aurora took a deep breath and turned the handle of the door in front of her. Four pairs of eyes stared at her in surprise as she stepped into the room (the fourth being Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix). 

 "Do you mind? You are intruding on a private…"

 "It is alright Lucius. Aurora did not know," said a tall man with long grey hair, who Aurora supposed was Dumbledore by his voice. "At least, my dear, I presume you are Aurora?" 

 "Hm?" Aurora had not listened to a word Dumbledore had said. She was to busy looking at the blond haired boy standing in the corner of the room near his father. 

 "I said are you Aurora?" 

 "Yes." 

 "Good. I have been expecting you. You look cold and wet. Take off your cloak." As she did so, he turned to the blond boy and his father, who Aurora presumed were Draco and Lucius Malfoy. "Now Lucius, please take Draco back to his lesson. I will speak to you later." 

 "Come on Draco!" commanded Lucius and he swept out of the room. 

 "Now Aurora. I am very pleased you are here at last. Your difference to the rest of the school may set you apart, but hopefully you will get on well with everyone. Your tutor, Lana, sent me a letter by owl this morning explaining everything to me. You have the most amazing set of powers I have ever come across for a girl of fifteen. You must be proud." 

 "Yeah," muttered Aurora.

 "Let me see," said Dumbledore, glancing down at a piece of parchment in his hand. "You are an Animagus?"

 "Yes." 

 "What animal?" 

 "All of them," she shrugged. 

 A look of amazement crossed his face. "You can apparate…"

 "What's that?" interrupted Aurora. 

 "You call it translocation I think. At such a young age it is amazing!"

 "Really?" 

 "Yes. Witches and wizards are not allowed to apparate until they are at least seventeen. You have immense psychic powers too. You can see into the minds of other people and control their thoughts?" 

 "Yes." 

 "Considered a dark power by some. You can see into the future, hm, could be useful. Can you tell me Aurora, which house you are going to be in? It would save a lot of time." 

 "Slytherin, naturally." 

"Really? I thought you were more a Gryffindor person." 

 "Have you read the letter? Haven't you seen why I am here?"

 "Hm, I suppose. It says 'She is being sent here to increase her power for good, and right her wrong ways.' Do you have robes? That dress is not what we wear here." 

 "Yes. They are in my trunk, wherever that is." 

 "I have it here. You can change in that room over there." 

 When she had changed and entered the study again, there was another man there, a tall one with black hair and long black robes, a complete contrast from the deep gold ones Dumbledore was wearing. 

 "This," said Dumbledore, "is your head of house, Professor…"

 "Snape," interrupted Aurora. 

 "She has amazing powers, as I was just saying, Severus. She can see into your mind." 

 "Amazing," drawled Snape's voice. "Come, Miss Polgana, I will take you to your room."

Aurora turned and felt the energy drain from her body. Images flashed in front of her face as she sank to the floor. Images of a young boy with dark hair and a strange lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. Where had she seen that scar before? A dark haired boy? Harry! Of course! The boy that had helped Hermione bring her here. Images flashed again. Images of what had happened to that boy and his friends in their first four years at Hogwarts. Professor Quirrel, Tom Riddle's diary, Sirius Black and finally, last year, the return of Lord Voldemort. Pain seared through her body as she lay on the floor, reliving that day in the graveyard, seeing it through the eyes of Harry Potter. 

 Finally she came out of the subconscious state she had been in, and found herself on the floor of Dumbledore's study, with Professor Snape crouching beside her, a bottle of potion in his hand and a worried look on his face. Dumbeldore, however, had returned to sitting behind his large desk. 

 "Really, Severus, there is no point in worrying!" he was saying. The voices felt like they were far away to Aurora, and the room was blurred. "The letter clearly states…"

 "She looks so bad!" interrupted Snape. 

 "I'm alright," said Aurora, the room coming back into focus and everything returning to normal. "It happens sometimes. This place is so old, and so full of memory. So much has happened here that I need to see." 

 "You are sure you are alright?" asked Snape. 

 "Yes, I'm sure," answered Aurora standing up. 

 "It is time to go to your room," said Dumbledore, rising from his chair. "We have decided to put you in a separate room because of your _funny turns_." 

 "Dumbledore, you do not think she should go to the hospital wing?" 

 "No no, I do not think it will be necessary for today. She should go and meet her fellow students," answered Dumbledore. "But you should get some rest as well," he said, looking at her. "You will need it if you are to start lessons tomorrow." 

 "Thank you Professor," Aurora said, not looking like she actually cared. "Now which way is it?" 

Please review! But be nice, its only my first fic!


	2. New Beginnings

**22 July 2004 : How stupid am I? I've put up the same chaoter twice, when this was the one that really wanted to go up . . . Thanks to Rednal29 for noticing! Hope this is better. How ever didn't anyone else notice? Or did they and I just ignored them?!**

Disclaimer : I don't own any of the characters blah blah blahdy blah. Except Aurora. And Lana.

This chapter is dedicated to Jezuz (no not the actual 'Son of God', just my friend!) coz she's mean. And evil about this story. But she does give me helpful hints!

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Snape and Aurora walked down the long corridors and down flights of steps, until they finally reached the dungeons and the Slytherin common room. Snape said the password and a large stone door appeared and swung slowly open. The volume of noise that hit Aurora was astounding.

"Oi! Pass me that book will you?"

"Come back!"

Voices shouted around the room. But when Snape stepped into the room, all fell silent. He waved his hand. "It's alright, go back to what you were doing," he ordered. Most people did, but some stared at Aurora as she too stepped into the common room.

"Lucius!" said Snape.

"Severus," said Lucius Malfoy, who was sitting on one of the sofas next to his son. Two other, menacing-looking boys, stood beside them like bodyguards, threatening off anyone who came near.

"What are you doing here?" asked Snape.

"I am here to speak to the headmaster about my son, Severus," Lucius answered coldly. Aurora looked into his mind and found deep, cold hate for Snape, a deserted Death Eater.

"The headmaster wishes to see you and I, Lucius," said Snape, just as coldly. "Now," he added and turned to leave. Lucius Malfoy rose off of his seat, then stopped and looked at Aurora.

"Who's the girl?"

"Oh yes. This Aurora. She is a new fifth year."

"She is a pure blood I presume? We can't have Dra- I mean any of the Slytherins mixing with mudbloods."

"It depends what you mean by pure blood," Aurora spoke up. "If you mean pure blood witch, then no, I'm not a pure blood."

"You aren't?"

"No."

"But - Severus!" Lucius turned to Snape. "How dare this girl be in Slytherin, and not be a pure blood? It's not right!"

"She said she was not pure blood witch, Lucius. This does not mean she is not pure blooded something else," he said, giving Aurora a small smile.

"Well?" Lucius barked. "What are you girl?"

But yet again, Aurora was not listening. She was too busy looking at Draco Malfoy, and he was looking at her.

"I said, girl, what are you?" he said again.

"Hm?" she answered pulling her eyes off the blond boy sitting on the sofa and looking at his father. "Oh," she said, scanning his brain for the last thing he said. "I'm pure blood sorceress," she finally said.

"Sorceress? I was told sorcery was dead!"

"Are you joking? There are more of us than ever. You have to be born into us though, so there are not as many of us as there are witches and wizards."

"Well, if some of us had our way, we wizards and witches would be the same," said Lucius. "But that day will never come…"

"Now Lucius, we really must go," said Snape. "We should not keep the headmaster waiting." Together Snape and Lucius Malfoy swept out of the room, clearly trying to keep as far apart from each other as possible. Aurora was left standing alone in the middle of the room, which was slowly starting to empty as people left to go to bed.

"Do you want to sit down?" asked Draco Malfoy.

"Sure," she answered. "You're Draco, right?"

He nodded. "And you're Aurora," she nodded and sat down next to him on the sofas. "So, you're a sorceress?"

"Yes."

"Father has always said that there were no sorcerers left."

"There are very few of us. Perhaps four or five hundred in the world."

"A lot less than there are of us," one of the bodyguards coughed. "Oh yes. This is Crabbe and Goyle."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Of course. I _am_ telepathic after all."

"_You are_?" Draco's eyes went wide with amazement.

"Yes," Aurora laughed. "And a… what do you call it? Animagus? And I can apparate, and see into the future, and make things move with my mind, and much more."

"You must be very powerful to do all of this."

"Yes."

"Then why are you here? I mean, if you can do all of these things without ever going to school…"

"How did you know I had never been to school?"

"I guessed so. Anyway, why are you here?"

"My tutor, Lana, thought it fit to send me here. She told Dumbledore it was to 'right my wrong ways', whatever that means."

"You must be bad though. There isn't a good person in Slytherin."

"I know. I am technically evil," she pulled up the sleeve of her left hand robe, and burned on her upper forearm was a large circle with a curved line horizontally through the middle. "This makes me so."

"What is _that_?"

"When a sorcerer or sorceress is about twelve years old, a test is taken. Two knives are laid in front of them, and they are told to pick one of them up. I happened to pick up the one that means I am evil. The knife, whichever one you pick up, then makes a symbol on your upper arm."

"That symbol?"

"Yes," Aurora yawned.

"Are you tired?" Draco asked.

"Yes, a bit. I think I should go to bed."

"Do you have lessons tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Aurora stood up.

"I should go to bed as well," Draco stood up too. "Do you want one of those two to take your trunk up to your room for you?"

"No, it's OK, I can carry it," Aurora said, walking over to where she had put her trunk down, "or not," she whispered, levitating her trunk with her hand. "Night then," she said. "Thanks," she added, turning back to where Draco was standing.

"For what?" he asked.

"Making me feel like I fit in a bit," she said. "It's going to be so difficult." Aurora turned and walked to the stone steps up to her room, her trunk trailing after her.

"Breakfast is at eight o'clock!" shouted Draco after her. She turned around. "I'll meet you here if you want, and take you up to the Great Hall."

"Sure. Night!"

Aurora climbed the steps carefully, thinking about what she had seen in Draco's mind. His father bullied him constantly, always telling him to be top of the class, best at everything, and his mother went along with her husband. He felt unloved by anyone, insecure inside. Aurora would help to change that.

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Please R&R everyone! I don't care what you say!


	3. Mind's Eye

Disclaimer : I don't own any HP characters. Blah Blah Blah. I do, however, own Aurora, Aurora's mother Serena, Mara and Lana.

This chapter is dedicated to my mate Darly. Don't know why though!!!!!!! And its also dedicated to Addie, Jezuz and Sammy. 

Things in _italics_ are thoughts, either to oneself or to another person

Enjoy!

Aurora hardly ever slept for longer than five hours. So, when she woke up at seven o'clock the next morning, she was very surprised. She got up, had a wash and quickly got dressed, thinking about her dream from the night before. She had seen things that had happened in the school, mixed with visions of what was going to happen some time soon. Everything kept coming back to that boy, Harry Potter. Everything seemed to be to do with him. Aurora knew all about him of course. The fall of the Dark Lord through him, and about what had happened at the Triwizard Tournament in the last July. The return of the Dark Lord, more powerful and stronger than before. 

As Aurora entered the common room, she could tell people were staring at her. Their eyes burned holes into the back of her head. 

"Oi! You there! New girl!" Aurora stopped and turned around. "What's your name?" It was a gang of girls. Aurora read their minds and found out that the ringleader was a girl called Pansy Parkinson, who was standing at the heart of the group.

"Aurora," she answered simply.

"Oh yeah? What's up with your hair? Think it makes you look more witch-like, muggle?"

"I am not a muggle," Aurora said through clenched teeth. "And I can't change my hair, it's natural."

"Well, you aren't a witch are you?"

"_Miss Parkinson_!" Snape marched into the room. "Leave Miss Polgana alone please!" 

Pansy and her group of friends walked off muttering to themselves about allowing muggles into Slytherin. Snape turned to Aurora.

"If you get any more bother off them, come and tell me. Draco's waiting outside for you," he said. "I had better go and have breakfast too." 

Aurora walked out of the common room with Snape at her side. When they reached Draco, who was standing with Crabbe and Goyle a little way down the busy corridor, Snape excused himself and left for the Great Hall. 

"Morning," Draco said. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, not bad," Aurora answered. "But I'm quite hungry."

As they walked up to the Great Hall, Aurora told Draco some more about how she had been brought up.

"So they hate you?"

"Of course. They're good, I'm evil. The two are natural enemies. I think my mother hates me the most though. I haven't seen her for two years."

"_Two years_?"

"Yeah. As soon as I was officially labelled 'evil', she sent me off to Lana, my tutor, to see if she could help me. All Lana did was make it worse. She tutored this other girl, Mara, too. She's 'good' "

"And you two hate each other?"

"Yeah. She's the same age as me, has all of these nice little muggle friends, who all love her, and think she's amazing," she glanced at Draco. "I've never mixed with muggles though," she added quickly, seeing the look of horror on his face. "I was shut away from the world." They had reached the Great Hall. Aurora stared up at the ceiling.

"It's enchanted to look like the sky outside," said Draco. "Come on, our seats are over here."

They walked towards the long Slytherin table, people staring curiously at Aurora on her way past. She heard whispers of "who's that?" and heard the same in the minds of lots of people. She sat next to Draco, with Crabbe on the other side of him and Goyle next to Crabbe. As she looked around, she saw the girl and two boys from the night before. 

"Who are they?" she asked Draco, pointing at where they were sitting. 

"You don't want to be seen with _them_," Draco warned. "The girl is Hermione Granger, a mudblood, the ginger one is Ron Weasley, a pure blood, although you would never know it, and the dark haired one is Harry Potter. I presume you know all about him?"

"Yes," said Aurora darkly. "I know things you wouldn't believe."

"You've…"

"Looked into his mind? Of course. I look at every person I meet."

"Even me?"

"Yes."

As they ate, Draco explained about himself, his family, and some more about the school.

"What's first lesson?" Draco asked Crabbe.

"Erm…" the slow Crabbe clearly did not know.

"Divination," said Aurora.

"How do you know?" asked Draco.

"It's in your mind, you just can't see it. I can though."

"Will you stop that?"

"No."

"Can you see what I'm going to say next?"

"Yes, and what you'll say after that, and after that, and after that for the next few days."

"You are really strange."

"I know, and I'm proud."

As they left the Great Hall, they heard a voice.

"Draco!"

Draco turned around to face his father. "Father?" he replied. "I have to go to my lesson, I can't stay long."

"I know," he said, turning to Aurora. "Miss Polgana, Lucius Malfoy," he extended a leather gloved hand. Aurora shook it.

"I know who you are. Interesting…" she said, studying his face and his mind.

"What is she doing?" asked Lucius.

"Looking into your mind," answered Draco. "Anything good?"

"You don't want to know," she pulled back out of his mind. "We'd better go Draco."

"Yeah. See you Father!" 

They entered the high Divination tower, and again everyone turned around to stare at Aurora and Draco. 

_I wish everyone would stop doing that! _said Aurora in Draco's mind.

_And I wish you'd stop doing this! _he answered. _Hey?! Can I do it too?_

_Yes. You can do it because I can. _

_Can I enter anyone's mind? _

_No, just mine. _

_Damn! _

_            You wanted to go inside Potter's didn't you? _

_No! _

_Yes. _

_OK… so I did. So what? You go inside the minds of people all of the time. _

_I'm not meant to. _

_Really? _

_No. _

"Good morning class," said the mystical voice of Professor Trelawney from behind them. "Do sit down, please." Draco and Aurora sat on two cushions at the back of the class and Professor Trelawney took her usual seat by the fire, which was giving off heavy wafts of incense. 

"I believe we have a new seer in our midst," she began. "A new student has entered our class here today, one who already has the sight." Aurora quickly probed Professor Trelawney's mind, and found that she had good psychic powers, but not as good as her own. "Aurora?"

"Yes Professor?" Aurora raised her head, and found again that everyone was staring at her.

"You are a seer?"

"Yes."

"You have the sight, the inner eye?"

"If that's what you want to call it, yes."

"How far into the future can you see?"

"About six months clearly. I know some things in two or three years time, but that's a bit more blurred."

"That is truly amazing sight," she sighed. "Even I do not posses that much inner sight."

_You're more powerful than her? _ asked Draco in Aurora's mind.

_Yes. _

_Can she hear us talking now? _

_No. At least I don't think so. Her psychic powers aren't that good. _

_Really? _

_Yeah. _

_You could teach this class? _

_Yeah, probably. _

"What is going to happen tomorrow Aurora?" asked Professor Trelawney.

"I can't say."

"Why not?"

_Why not?_

"Well, it's not that I can't, I'm just not meant to. Only I am meant to know what is to happen."

"That is a very strange way of looking at things."

"We are very …" Aurora let out a short gasp. She felt a cold shiver go down her spine, and darkness hit her. She saw fire, burning, and heard screams of women and children crying, and a high cold laugh. A voice too… "Yes my Lord, we will do as you please." She recognized the voice, and the laugh, but she was not sure where from. 

When she had seen all she needed to, she opened her eyes, to see Professor Trelawney standing up, a worried expression on her face, and her wand in her hand.

"Are you alright? Your hair…" she stopped. " And your eyes…" she added. 

Aurora touched her hair with the tips of her fingers. "It's warm," she said.

"It glowed bright blue," said Draco quietly, "and your eyes went bright blue as well."

"Yeah, they usually do."

"You mean this has happened _before_?" questioned Professor Trelawney.

"Yeah. It usually happens when I get an important vision, or _they_ want to speak to me."

"They?"

"The High Council."

"The… of course, you aren't a witch are you?"

"No." There were mutterings around the room, and Aurora could see Pansy Parkinson and her group of friends looking very smug. "I'm a sorceress." 

"Your hair…"

Again Aurora blacked out. This time, though, it was not dark, but a bright light shone. She was standing in a large open space, in a black ceremonial dress and long black cloak.

"Do you have to tell everyone?" a voice retorted behind her. Aurora turned sharply and found herself face to face with someone she had not seen for two years. Her mother. "We used to be secret, you know." Serena stood there, calmly dressed in exactly the same as her daughter, except her dress and cloak were a bright white. She was 'good'. "Until your father…"

"Yes, yes I know. Why am I here? Why do I have to see you? Why now? Whilst I'm at school?"

"I've been trying to contact you for about a month now. This is the first time I have got through. "

"I don't want to see you though."

"Don't be like that."

"Why not? You abandoned me!" Aurora fought the block on her powers, eventually getting through and coming back out into the world.

"Why?" she whispered, and then blacked out again.

PLEASE REVIEW ! ! ! ! !


	4. Just Say No

Disclaimer : We don't own no own HP characters. We do however own Aurora, Mara, Lana and Serena.

This chapter is dedicated to Penthesilea. May she rest in peace forever. Why did he have to kill her, why? Do you think he'll kill her in the film? (None of you have any idea what I'm on about anyway, so I'll shut up!). It is also dedicated to Addie and Jezuz. And Sammy, if she can ever be bothered to read it. OR WRITE MORE OF HERS!

Things in _italics_ are thoughts, either to oneself or another person.

When Aurora woke up, she was lying in a bed in the hospital wing. Sitting beside the bed was Draco, lounging back in an armchair eating chocolate. 

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Hey," he replied. "This was meant to be for you but…"

"It doesn't matter," Aurora smiled. "You eat it."

"What happened back there? You came out of that vision for the second time, and then you seemed to black out totally."

"I did," she answered. "The first vision was a proper one, muddled and confusing. The second one wasn't exactly a vision…" She stopped, and her eyes flashed to the door. "Your father's coming," she said quickly. "I'll tell you more in a bit."

Rapid footsteps approached the door, and in swept Lucius Malfoy, his face blank from expression. 

"How are you?" he asked Aurora, his voice colder than usual. 

"Fine, thank you," Aurora answered, searching his mind for why he was being so cold towards her. "I'm not like my father, you know," she said. "You can't resent me for being his daughter."

"Well…" Lucius spluttered.

"Who was…?" 

 "Come, Draco, we're leaving!" commanded Lucius.

_Say no! _said Aurora in Draco's mind. _Stand up to him! _

_But…_

_Go on! _

"No," said Draco simply.

"What?"

"I'm staying here with Aurora. Lessons have finished…"

"Have I been here that long?" interrupted Aurora 

"Yes. And I want to talk to her, so I'm staying here, whether you like it or not!" said Draco defiantly.

"But…"

"Go!" said Draco, pointing a finger at the door. Lucius gave Aurora a scathing look and swept out of the room again.  

_Well done. _

_Thanks. Why are we talking in here? _

_I need to tell you some things that shouldn't be heard out loud. _

_OK…_

_Today, when I went in the second time, I saw my mother. I haven't seen her for two years, but she says she's been trying to contact me for a month now. I think someone's been stopping me talking to her. _

_Who? _

_I don't know. That's what I want to know. I didn't talk to her though, I refused. _

_Why? _

_Why? She abandoned me, that's why! _

_What did you see in the first vision?_

_Fire. Lots of fire. And screams. Women and children. And a high, cold laugh. It was a bit muddled, as usual. _

_That room seemed to bring on your visions._

_I was just about to say that! _

_I know. _

_You read it? _

_Yeah. Your mind's complicated. _

_It's meant to be; so strange people don't read it. _

_You don't mind do you? _

_Not really. _

"Miss Polgana?" It was Madame Pomfrey, the school matron. "You can leave now if you wish."

"Alright. Where are my clothes?" (For the record, she had not been naked, but in pajamas).

"Here," said Draco, reaching down for a bag on the floor. He passed it to her. "I'll go outside and wait then?"

"Please." Aurora quickly got changed and went outside to Draco. 

"You OK?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Your hair…"

"What?"

"It's a mess… here," he reached up a hand and touched the white lock in her hair. It seemed to glow blue for a second. His hand retracted. "It…"

"It likes you."

"It has a mind of it's own?"

"Almost. It 'knows' people. It likes some and dislikes others."

"Why…"

"Do I have it? It's a mark of sorcery. Every one of us is born with a mark. For some it looks like a birthmark on their left arm, for others it is a tiny flower in the palm of their left hand, for me it's this. It depends."

They walked back through the winding corridors to the common room. 

"Just thought I'd warn you that when we go in here, I'm going to get, how shall I put it? 'Bullied' for what happened today."

"Can't you stop it?"

"I could, but it's life."

"By who?"

"Pansy, among others. I've been told to ignore it, though, so I'm going straight up to my room and bed. They may turn on you too, but just ignore them."

"OK… Pure blood!" Draco said the password and the stone door appeared. The common room was quiet, but that was because nearly everybody was in bed. Except Pansy, two of her friends, Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy was lounged on one of the sofas with her friends next to her, and Crabbe and Goyle stood at the far end of the room. When Pansy saw who had entered the room, she straightened and carefully stood up, smoothing her hair down with one hand. The other hand had one finger outstretched, pointing at Aurora. 

"_You_!" she said, anger and hatred in her voice and on her face. But her mind was not angry. It hated a bit, but most of the feelings towards Aurora were of jealousy. Jealousy? Aurora wondered. Then she found it. Pansy thought Aurora was stealing Draco from her. She had liked him for so long, but now this stranger, this _sorceress_, someone who was more powerful and frankly better looking than Pansy, had come along and taken away all chance she would ever have with him.

"Me?" Aurora answered.

"Yeah, you. Sor-cer-ess. Think you're smarter than us do you? You and your fancy 'seeings'. Teacher's pet."

_Oh God! _Draco's voice interjected into Aurora's mind. _Does she really think that? _

_Yes…_

_All because I went to the Yule Ball with her last year! _

_Did you read her mind, or mine? _

_Yours of course. I can't read any others! _

_I could teach you to. _

_You could? _

_Yeah. I'll speak to you later. _

"No, Pansy I don't think I'm better than any of you."

_Watch this_, Aurora said to Draco.

_Now, Pansy, you really shouldn't have those sort of thoughts_. Aurora and Draco watched as Pansy's eyes widened.

_Did you hear that?_ Aurora asked Draco.

_Yeah. _

_Don't take your jealousy out on me, Pansy. I can't help it if he likes me._ Draco's eyes widened too. 

_You can tell that? _ he asked.

_Course, silly. I can see into every last bit of your mind. Anyway, Pansy, don't take it out on me, not now. When we're older, maybe we can duel or something. But not now.  _Aurora watched calmly as Pansy ran off sobbing.

"Oops," Aurora said. "I didn't mean to make her cry. Oh well." She turned to Draco. 

"Are you going to teach me… you know what now?" he asked

"No. Later."

"Later? It's late already!"

_When everyone's asleep, I'll meet you down here. _

_But when will I know when they're asleep? And won't I be asleep? _

_I'll wake you up. And I'll give you something to keep you awake and not make you tired tomorrow. _

"Oh yes, that reminds me. Dumbledore came to see you earlier, but you were still asleep. He told me to give you this." He reached inside his robes and brought out a large bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. " And say 'get well soon'."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow," Aurora yawned.

_You're not tired are you? _Draco asked.

_No._ Aurora replied. _It's just an act. Crabbe and Goyle might suspect something. _

_Those slow-brains? No, of course not. If they were any slower, they'd be going backwards. _

"Night Draco," said Aurora.

"Night Rora," he replied.

"What did you call me?" 

"Rora…"

"Nice. Night."

            PLEASE REVIEW! Please? Thanks all!

I'm going on my hols soon, so I won't be able to write any more till I get back. I'll try to write some whilst I'm there anyway!


	5. The Morions

**Revised 16th June 2004**

We don't own any HP characters. We do own Aurora, Mara, Serena and Lana.

I know that the thoughts can get quite confuddling, but please, stick with it. Thoughts to oneslf or others are in _ITALICS_, and speech is in "quotation marks"

About three hours later, Draco woke up with a start.

_Sorry._ thought Aurora.

_Where are we meeting? _

_Filch is sneaking around downstairs. You'll have to come up here. _

_OK… Give me a minute to get dressed. _

"You took your time," said Aurora.

"I thought I should get dressed first, but you are obviously still in your night clothes."

"This," she indicated the long Chinese silk gown she was wearing," was my mother's. It was the last thing she gave me before… you know."

"It's nice."

"It has been handed down through out family for ten generations of _pure blood_ sorceresses. It's quite a big honour to get it. I'm surprised _Mara _didn't get it."

"Are you two related?"

"Kind of. Anyway, do you want to learn to see, or not?"

"Yes please."

"Now before we start, I'm going to have to tell you something. I am going to block people's mind from you, at least at the start…"

"But…" Draco interrupted.

Aurora put up a hand. "You can't see into some minds yet. You may find things there that may scare you senseless. You will be in hospital before we know it. Now…" She moved over to the small window, and picked some things up off the sill, two small vials, one filled with a clear liquid, the other with a deep purple one, a small black box and a locket. She then moved to the middle of the floor, put out her hand and said quietly "nirwae". Two large cushions appeared. Draco blinked once. "Sit," Aurora said quietly, indicating the pillow nearest the window. Draco sat down.

"Ready?" Aurora asked, fiddling about with the locket in her hands.

"What's going to happen?"

"Well, first I've got to initiate you…"

"What's that?" Draco interrupted.

"It's difficult to explain. Most sorcerers, and sorceresses, have some sort of psychic power. I've got all of them. Most wizards and witches don't have any sort of psychic power. The only person I can sense here is Professor Trelawney, and as I've already told you, her powers aren't that amazing. I need to open your mind to the psychic world, and because it's me, you should have most of the powers that I do eventually. It may take a while though. I have to break a few walls in your mind. After I've got you into the psychic world, you can go into basically anyone's mind."

"Except those that you…. What's the word?"

"Block. I can block you from seeing into minds that I know you desperately want to go in, like Harry Potter's. But eventually, you may be able to break through those blocks as well."

"Shall we get started then?" asked Draco.

Aurora moved to the other cushion, and sat down. She placed the vials and the box on the floor in front of her, but tossed the locket onto her bed.

"The purple potion is the one I told you about earlier. To keep you awake? If I have a vision whilst we are doing this, and I black out again, give me _one_ drop of the clear one. Any more and something bad might happen." She opened the box, and brought out another necklace, this one silver and set with a deep blue-purple stone. She put the ring on and the necklace around her neck. "Would you mind closing the clasp please?" she asked.

"Sure."

Aurora opened the second box and brought out two things wrapped in black satin cloths. She laid them on the ground, and pushed the boxes to one side. "I hope these are all right," she said. "They're quite fragile." She opened the cloths, to reveal two bright black daggers, with some sort of writing shining on the blades. Draco recoiled. "They're not that bad," she said. "And it's not like I'm going to kill you or anything."

"And you're sure about that?" asked Draco, a terrified look on his face.

"Yes. No one has been killed for a long time with these," she answered, running her thumb along the blade, cutting herself in the process. "Seriously injured, yes, but not killed. The last person to be killed was… my great-grandmother."

"By who?"

"Her husband."

"You're all murderers!"

"No. I have never killed anyone in my life. Most of Rana have though."

"Rana?"

"All sorcerers and sorceresses, once they have taken the knife test, and if they are good, are put into an Order, depending on what ability they have, or will have. There are three main Orders – Estel, Herenya and Rana. The Estel's are trained assassins, Herenya's are seers, and the Rana's are… it's difficult to explain… They are different" She glanced at Draco, who nodded. "They are the most dangerous. My mother, Lana and _Mara_," her voice dripped with hatred at the last name "are all in Rana. Then there are us. Outcasts. We formed our own order, the Morion's. We have a mixture of different strengths."

"What's yours?"

"Everything. Now, we really must get on. Firstly, take this." A goblet appeared in her hand filled with pumpkin juice. She gave it to him, then unstopped the vial with purple liquid in it, and put three drops of it in the goblet. "Drink half." He did so, then passed it back to her. She drank the other half, then placed the goblet on the floor. It promptly disappeared.

"Now," Aurora continued, passing him one of the knives. "Trace a semi circle three times around you, then put the knife beside you." He did so, and so did she. "Now hold my hands, and close your eyes."

Aurora released her will, and slowly drifted into sub consciousness, taking Draco with her. She gently probed his mind, and found the block against reading. All witches and wizards seemed to have this block, but she did not know why. She broke it down slowly, for it was a hard task. Then she gently pulled them back out of the psychic world. Draco slowly opened his eyes, to see Aurora's eyes glowing amber, like a cat, in front of him.

"What did you see?" she asked softly.

"The minds of hundreds of people."

"Good, good," she said quietly, staring deeply into his eyes. "That's the first barrier down. The second..." she paused, thinking for a moment. "Give me the name of a student here, someone in a different house."

"Erm… Potter?"

"No. He is blocked. And all of the Weasley's, and Granger."

"Seamus Finnegan? He's in Gryffindor."

"OK. Now, still holding my hands, try and find his mind. Kind of call out his name, in your head."

"I've got it!"

"Well done. You are picking this up quickly. Now, what time is it?"

"Five o'clock."

"How did you know that?"

"I read it from your mind."

Aurora decided it was time to take steps towards more complex things. She immediately blocked her mind from his.

"Hey!" he said. "That was getting interesting!"

"Try and break it. Say break," she suggested, "and let your magic flow through your hands into mine. " She felt the warmth and familiar tingling of magic flow into her, and pushed back some sorcery of her own. It broke the barrier immediately.

_What am I thinking? _she asked him.

_How good I am? _

_No, go deeper into my mind. The next step is emotions. Just by looking at me, or anyone, you can tell how they are feeling. Go… _She cut off, let out a gasp, and fell backwards, her mind link breaking.

The next thing she felt was a drip into her mouth. The potion. That vision had been interesting. A mix of colours, and a voice. Draco's voice. She could not remember what he had said though, but it had been nice. She opened her eyes, and saw Draco's grey blue eyes over hers, with a frown knotted between his eyebrows.

_Are you all right? _ he asked, concern in his voice and in his mind.

_Yes.  _Aurora answered, probing into his mind and settling the concern.

"How did you do that?"

"What?"

"You know what. You went into my mind and did something, changed something."

"I settled your concern for me. I'll always be all right you know. I've never been unconscious for more than a week."

"A week?!" Draco spluttered.

"If something bad is going to happen, they hit me very hard. Anyway," she said, standing up, "time for you to go back to bed. Get some sleep, if it's possible."

"Night."

"Night," Aurora said, kissing him lightly on the cheek and giving him a warm hug.

"What was that?"

"A hug. Have you never had one before?" she laughed.

"No."

"I suppose, with a family like yours…" Aurora left her words hanging in the air, unsure whether to continue.

"Yes, with a family like mine," Draco sighed, and turned to go. Aurora caught his hand.

"It's powerful, this gift I've given you. Don't use it too much at first, it may tire you."

Draco turned back to face her, then took a step towards her and kissed her gently on the lips, before leaving.

A/N : OK, it got soppy. And I don't do soppy. So its rubbish. But you think I care?

Please review people! And thanks to everyone who did.

**Glizty** : I'm going to Germany on an exchange for 10 days and London with Addie for 3 days. Thank you, you're always so nice!

**Katie **: HI ! ! ! ! ! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD ! ! ! ! ! Thanks!

 **Hannah **: Yo ho me hearty ! "Not an eunuch are you?"

**Thank you to everyone else too!**


	6. Cry Little Sister

**Revised 16th June 2004**

Disclaimer : I don't own any HP characters (don't I wish I did?) I do, however, own Aurora (or Rora), Mara and Lana.

Thoughts either to oneself, or, more usually, to another person are in _italics_.

The bits in Old Tongue are at the end of the sentence. I've changed this so you could all read it properly! Any problems/queries, email me : aurorawillowhotmail.com

I dedicate this chapter to Hannah the honourary pirate, my Jonny Depp and Pirates obsessed friend. And very bad eggs . . .

Aurora could not sleep after that. In the morning, she got up early and went to the library, looking for books about sorcery. As she was searching the many rows of shelves, she heard voices.

"She's very strange," a boy's voice.

"Yes, I know. I know a lot about sorcery, but I'd like to know more. I suppose she could teach me, _if_ she didn't hang around with Malfoy."

Granger. Hermione Granger. And the ginger one. Ron Weasley. They were obviously talking about her.

_And why should I like _her? a voice said in her mind. _She's a mudblood_

_Muggles aren't that bad you know. I live in the Muggle world, and they can be quite alright some times. I really don't know why you hate them so much._

_Well . . ._

_Are you awake? _

_I couldn't sleep. There are all of these voices buzzing in my head. It's amazing!_

_You don't like her because she gets better grades than you. _

_No I…_

_Yes. _

_No._

_Yes. _

_No._

_Don't argue with me Draco. You'll soon find out I always win. Now, it's nearly time for breakfast. _

_I'll meet you in the Great Hall. _

_Sure. _

People stared at Aurora strangely as she went down to the Great Hall. Obviously news of what had happened the day before had reached the whole school.

"It usually does," said a voice behind her.

Aurora turned around. "Hey. What do you mean?"

"If anything unusual happens here, everyone soon gets to know about it, no matter how secret you try and keep it," Draco said. "Even the stuff with…"

"With?"

_You Know Who. And Potter. Dumbledore never even tries to stop us from hearing about it. _

Aurora could sense he was probing random minds of anyone who walked past them.

"Stop it."

"What?" he asked.

"Probing. As I said earlier, too much can tire you."

"But it's so interesting!"

"I know. Try and probe my mind deeper first, then other's."

Over the course of a month, Aurora learned… not a lot. She mostly taught Draco in her spare time, and did absolutely no school work whatsoever.

"Miss Polgana, will you please stop that? It's very distracting!"

Aurora had been sitting in Professor McGonagall's class for nearly an hour now, and she was bored. It was the last lesson Friday afternoon, Transfiguration.

_Oh well._ _s_he thought. _At least it's Halloween on Sunday. _

_And Quidditch tomorrow!  _said a little voice in her head. _You get to see me play against Potter!_

_I know, you've told me a million times. _

_But it's…_

_No! _

_What? _

_He's here. _

_Who?_

_Look. _Aurora grabbed Draco's hand quickly under the table.

_No! Why is_ he _here? _

_About you._

_Again?__ What did I do this time?_

_Apparently I've been a bad influence on you. He wants Dumbledore to try and stop us from being friends._

_Like that's going to happen! _

Aurora flicked another piece of paper at the back of Harry's head.

"Will you stop that?" he asked.

"No," she answered defiantly.

"Miss Polgana, I have already told you to stop that, now desist! Homework is…" Aurora stopped listening at this point. What was the point of her being here? She already knew how to change animals into 'useful everyday objects', so what was the point?

_Maybe to meet me?_ asked the voice.

_Maybe_, she said, smiling.

"Now," Professor McGonagall said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's time to go."

There was the usual Friday night push for the door as everyone rushed to get back to the common rooms. Aurora and Draco walked, hand in hand, through the winding corridors to the entrance hall. Standing there was a figure, cloaked in white.

"Who's that?" asked Draco.

"No!"

"What?"

Aurora marched up to the figure, who turned suddenly, pulling off her hood.

"Kala? Mane Seldekala?" [A/N : The girl's name.]

"Aiya Ara Morwen," the girl said calmly. Aurora was far from calm. [A/N : Hello Ara Morwen]

"Man le cared sinome?" [A/N : What are you doing here?]

"Sídh! Lenka undu." [A/N : Sh! Calm down!]

"Anta amin maa le." [A/N : Give me your hand.]

Silently Kala gave her hand to Aurora, who recoiled.

"Le cor," she said quietly, removing her ring from her right hand index finger, and giving it to Draco. Kala did the same to her ring which was almost exactly the same as Aurora's. [A/N : Your ring.]

_Hold them in separate hands_. she told him silently. _I don't want to think of the consequences if you don't. _

"Anta amin maa le," she said again, this time extending her hand with caution. Aurora felt a cold sensation run through her as she pushed into Kala's mind, breaking down a few barriers, including the one which seemed to prevent her from speaking English. [A/N : Give me your hand.]

"Hello Ara."

"Mara. I really didn't expect you to get sick of Lana so soon! And my name is Aurora by the way."

"I'm not 'sick' of Lana. She sent me here to…"

"Keep an eye on me?" Aurora interrupted. "I'm not surprised."

"Are you Mara?" Draco's voice spoke up from behind them. Mara looked at him as if he were dirt, the way he normally did to others. "And do you want these back?" He held out the rings, which both Aurora and Mariana snatched quickly.

"Yes. And you are?"

_Don't tell her. Your family hasn't exactly got the best reputation among the Rana's. _

_But can't she see I'm not like my father? _

_No. She doesn't have very good psychic powers. _

"Now Mara, I will take you to Dumbledore. He'll need to see you." _Are you coming?_ she asked Draco.

_Yeah,_ he said hesitantly. _I need to see my father. We aren't exactly on the best terms at the moment, and I've got to talk to him. _

"Come on then."

"Don't you have a lesson now?" Mara asked Aurora as they walked down the corridor.

"No. They've just finished for the day. Here we are," she paused. "Cockroach cluster?" she said hesitantly. The phoenix started its ascension to the door of the study. Aurora grabbed Draco's hand and they stepped onto a step. "Just step on," she told Mara.

"But…"

"Or you'll have to climb the steps."

"OK…"

When they reached the top, they heard voices from inside.

_Reminisce. _she said silently.

_Why? Oh yes. This is where we first saw each other. _

_It's really like last time. Except last time you were inside. _Her hand touched the doorknob, and then she paused.

_Come on._ Draco put his hand on top of hers, knocked once and slowly swung the door open. The voices stopped abruptly.

"Hello father."

"Draco?" Aurora felt Draco's hand grip hers even tighter. "Miss Polgana. We meet again."

"Mister Malfoy. Professor Dumbledore, Sir. We've brought Mara to see you."

"Not another one Dumbledore?"

"Aurora's life is very much interlinked with Mara's. It seemed only right that she should come here too."

_You have never told me why my father hates you so much. _

_My father was… I don't know how to put it. A kind of Death Eater, but not. He worked for You Know Who. _

_Really?__ And that's why he hates you? _

_Yes. _

_What else is in that secret part of your brain that I'm not allowed to go in? _

_I don't think you want to know. Memories mostly. Of things that I've seen… and done. You'll never be able to break down the barrier though, so don't even try. _

Then it seemed, with no effort whatsoever; Draco broke down Aurora's mind barrier, and searched into the secret part of her brain.

_Dammit._ Aurora quickly set up another barrier, throwing Draco's mind out in the process.

"Ow!"

"You see Dumbledore, she's hurting him now!" Lucius Malfoy seemed to show emotion towards his son for a second, but that soon went.

_Can't you do something? To make him stop hating you so much? _

_Maybe…_ Aurora searched into Lucius' mind, probing gently around. _He's cold isn't he? _

_He didn't have a lot of love in his childhood. It seems coldness is the only thing he knows. _

_Doesn't he even love your mother? _

_Probably not._

_Or you?_

_No. _

Aurora kept searching until she found the memories part of Lucius' mind. Slowly and carefully, she began to change things that had happened between him and her father. Lucius, it seemed, had always thought himself You-Know-Who's right hand man, until her father came along, with a lot more power, and able to do much worse things.

Then her father had disappeared. Just gone. No one knew where or why. Or that was the supposed story. Aurora thought there was more to it, but she had never got round to asking her mother. It was over sixteen years ago, about six months after Aurora was born.

_Did your mother know nothing about your father? _

_Yes. She knew everything. But she couldn't stop him. If she did, he'd kill her. And me with her. She wouldn't risk her baby's life. _

_Are you done yet? _

_Nearly._ she paused. _There we go, all changed. He _should_ be a bit nicer to me now. _Should _be._

Dumbledore had been keeping a close watch on Aurora throughout this. "Are you finished Miss Polgana?"

"Yes sir."

"Good."

"What has she finished?" asked Lucius, a look of amazement on his face.

"Nothing," chorused Aurora and Draco simultaneously.

"Now," Dumbledore said, turning to Mara. "Miss Selde."

"Hm?" Mara had not been listening. She turned to Lucius Malfoy. "Are you…"

_Don't even ask it Mara._ Aurora sent out her thought to Mara._ You already know the answer._

Mara's eyes widened, and she whipped back round to face Aurora. "How…"

"Didn't you know?"

"No! How? When?"

"I've been this advanced for nearly six months now. I'd have thought the great _Lana _ would have picked up the signals." She laughed at the look of horror on Mara's face. "Aw. Baby! You'll catch up with me _one day_."

"Miss Polgana. Could you tell me what house Mara is going to be in? It would save a lot of trouble," asked Dumbledore.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"To you maybe, but not to me."

"Gryffindor." She noticed Lucius Malfoy's face change at this.

"Well, we will have to get Professor McGonagall up here then. Minerva!"

_As if she's going to hear that. _thought Mara

_Of course she will._ Aurora thought to her._ They're quite advanced you know. One more step and they'll be nearly like us._

Professor McGonagall swept into the room.

"Albus?"

"You have an addition to your house Minerva. Miss Selde here."

"Are you two," she waved a hand at Aurora and Mara, "related? You look very alike."

"We _are _sisters, but not related," replied Aurora. _God no! How awful would that be? _

"Sisters, but not in the strictest sense of the word," said Mara. "More like…"

"It's difficult to explain," cut in Aurora. "We… Everyone who is a sorcerer or sorceress is 'related', as brothers and sisters, but aren't blood related. Is that right?"

Mara nodded.

"She knows more about _that_ kind of stuff than I do," Aurora said. _She reads _so _much! She could give Granger a run for her money._ she thought to Draco.

_Yeah, but you read a lot too._

_Mostly The Tome  though._

_You never have told me what's in that._

_Because you aren't meant to know yet.___

_OK…_

"Now, Miss Selde, I suppose you had better go to the Gryffindor common room and settle in. I will find someone to look after you," said Professor McGonagall.

_Let me guess…_

_Yes?_

_Potter, Weasley and Granger?___

_Well done. It was kind of obvious though._

"Miss Polgana and Mister Malfoy, it is nearly time for dinner. Perhaps you should go and get ready?" asked Professor Dumbledore.

"Bye _Mara_."

"Bye _Aurora_."


	7. Black Eyes, Blue Tears

A/N Hey everyone!

It's been soooo long since I updated, hasn't it? I've had a lot going and my comp was on the blink, so I've no chance to update till now.

Disclaimer : Don't own anything HP related. Neither do I own any song lyrics. I do however own Aurora, Mara, Lana and Serena (They all end with a don't they? Maybe I should try different names!)

Thank you to everyone who has helped me with ideas. 

This chapter is dedicated to Addie, Jezuz, Katie, Hannah, Sammy and Mehreen, who have all read it and liked it. I think. And all of you that have reviewed (esp. Banba, Xyakks, Glitzy)

What does 'the counter' person mean by 'romances'? I know she's a M.S. did you not see the summary?

Enjoy!

* * * * *

That night, Aurora could not sleep. As hard as she tried, she could not get Mara off her mind. 

_That goody-goody! _she thought. _She's here to watch me, watch what I do. At least she can't hear what I think. I hope._

At about five o'clock in the morning, Aurora gave up. She got up and quickly dressed in some baggy black cords and a black hoodie, and went outside, taking her CD player with her. She had never properly looked around the grounds, and this was the perfect time.

"Damn!" she swore quietly. "Why won't it work?" Then she remembered something she had read somewhere. _"All electrical items will not work inside the Hogwarts"_. But she could soon change that.

"Damn! Oh, I know. Tyalie?" she said hesitantly. The CD player jerked into life. 

About an hour later, Aurora was lying on the grass near the Forbidden Forest, when she heard voices.

"Hurry up Hermione!"

It was Potter, Weasley and Granger, under an invisibility cloak. Tagging along behind, supposedly invisible too, was Mara. They seemed to be heading for Hagrid's cabin. Not one of them noticed her. She had arranged it that way.

_Hm__. Could be interesting to hear what they have to say._ She quickly made herself an image of a spider in her head, and then let herself flow into the image.

_Ah! The eyes!_ Aurora had obviously forgotten about the many eyes. When she finally got used to all of the legs and eyes, she scurried over to the side of the cabin, and scaled the wall to the window ledge.  

"I think she's going to use some sort of illegal sorcery to help them win today," she could hear Mara saying. Help them win? Oh! The Quidditch match. Gyffindor vs. Slytherin. Did they really think that she would do that? Well, yes, but not today, not now. It would be too obvious. 

_Shall I surprise them?_ she thought. _Shall I change back here?_

At that very moment, Mara's head whipped round to face the window ledge on which she was sitting.

"What's wrong?" asked Ron.

"I felt something. From over there." She pointed one accusing finger towards the window. 

_Dammit__! She felt it._ Aurora had tried to change back, but then thought better of it. There must have been a surge. 

Hagrid rose slowly. "It's only a spider," he said, looking at Aurora. "Probably one of Aragog's lot." He reached out one gigantic hand towards Aurora, who turned and scurried back down the wall outside.

"That wasn't a spider. Not a real one anyway!" she heard Mara say. Aurora resumed her normal form, sat down on the grass, and plugged the CD player back into her ears. 

_Greenday__._ she thought. _Good Riddance. My favourite._

"Ara Morwen!"

"How many times do I have to tell you? My name is Aurora!" she said, standing up.

"OK… Aurora. How long have you been here?"

"Long enough. But I'd better be going now. Bye!" As Aurora ran off, she felt a tug at her back, and claws sank deep into her flesh.

"Ow!" she exclaimed as the cat leapt lightly off her back before changing back into Mara. "That hurt!" 

"_Sorry,_" said Mara, picking herself up off the grass with a smirk on her face. 

Aurora could see Potter, Granger and Weasley laughing in the background. She stretched, and the bloody mess that was her back folded neatly back into place, the skin repairing itself and the blood disappearing. 

"How…" The smirks wiped off of their faces.

"I heal quickly. Or is that something else you didn't know?"

"Well I…"

"Lana obviously told you nothing about me. Nothing useful anyway. She told you… Let me see…" Aurora quickly probed into Mara's mind.

"Stop it!"

"Can't you stop me _baby_?"

"Will you stop calling me that?"

"No. She told you I was a useless nobody with no friends, who didn't have enough power to change water into wine, yes?"

"Yes."

"Well, _Miss Selde_, I will tell you something about me. I_am not_ a useless nobody any more. You see, about a year and a half ago…" Aurora stopped, ad her eyes widened. "Amme!" she exclaimed, raising a finger and pointing it behind Mara's head. [A/N : Mother!]

"Daro!" came the clear voice of Serena, Aurora's mother. Everything paused. "Avo anglenno amin!" She stepped forwards and past Mara, whose face was contorted in a look of question. There was a faint blue nimbus shining around Serena, as if she were a God. [A/N : i. Stop! ii. Do not approach me!] 

"Can you speak English please?"

"Yes. Ara Morwen…"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"Aurora. It is not yet time to tell Mara. The event is not meant to happen for another… well, not for a long time."

"Hasn't she guessed yet? She saw I had the ring."

"Well, no, not exactly. She can't see the ring yet. Or the stone that hangs around your neck. Lana and I have arranged it that way."

"But…"

"I have to go Ara Morwen. I should not even be here. Goodbye my child."

"Will I see you again?"

"This is not our last farewell. Naevaer!" And with that, the blue light grew stonger, and she disappeared. Everything jerked back into time. 

_By the way,_ said a voice in her head._ I would prefer it if no one knew about that._  

"About a month and a half ago what?" Mara's voice startled Aurora for a second.

"Oh. Erm. Nothing."

"No, what?"

_Damn you mother!_ "I can't say."

"Why not?"

"Because I've just been told not to."

"By whom?"

"Stop it with the twenty questions OK?"

"No. I want to know."

_Mother.__ Are you there?_

_Yes, temporarily._

_Can you stop her? I can't tell her, but she won't stop asking questions._

_Yes. _Aurora felt a surge, and Mara's eyes rolled slightly backwards into her head. 

"Are you alright?" asked Harry.

"Me?" answered Mara. "Yes, I'm fine."

_Don't mention anything. _Aurora said to Harry, Ron and Hermione. _She doesn't know what just happened._

_How…_ asked three voices.

_Never mind that._

_What did you do to her? _asked Ron.

_Nothing.__ It wasn't me. Don't get protective of her; she won't be staying very long._

_How do you know?_

_I just know. Never question me._

"Are we going guys?" asked Mara, giving Aurora a cold glance, as if she knew Aurora was hiding something from her.

"Yeah. It's almost time for breakfast anyway."

_Bye. _said Aurora to all four of them. _And Harry,_ she added, _good luck._

Aurora laid down on the grass, and picked up her CD player again. 

"All right Potter?"

"Malfoy."

_Stop it Draco._

Draco had come looking for Aurora.

_Now.___

_But…___

_I said stop. You'll never be able to break his mind block, however hard you try._

_Sorry._

"Weasley. Granger." _Mudblood_. "Mara."

"Malfoy." 

_DON'T YOU DARE. _said Aurora to Mara.

_So you two are together?_

_Yes. And if you do anything to hurt him, I may have to hurt you, and that will upset the balance of Fate._

_You and all of this Fate crap. Do you actually believe that?_

_I believe._ Aurora called up her Tome.

_You actually believe in your Tome?_

_As I have written a lot of it myself, yes. _

_IS THAT IT?_

_Yes._

_Can I see it?_

_No. You know that it contains things only I am allowed to know._

_But…___

_No. That is my final answer._ Aurora sent the Tome back to its usual place, underneath her bed. 

"Damn you!" whispered Mara out loud.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"Oh. Nothing."

Draco suppressed a smile. 

_Now Draco, come over here._

"See you later." Draco walked over to where Aurora was laid and sat next to her.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Why won't you let me see into Potter's mind?"

"You may find things there that you don't expect, or like. He knows things that he does not know he knows."

"What?"

"There are some memories that he has forgotten, but he is slowly remembering."

"Things to do with You Know Who?"

"Yes." She sat up, and looked deeply into Draco's eyes. He looked back for a second, then down to what she was holding in her hands. 

"What's that?"

"A CD player."

"CD?"

"Look." She opened the top to show the CD inside. "This is a CD. It holds music. It's a muggle thing." She shut it again. "These don't normally work inside Hogwarts, but I found a way for it to work. Tyalie!" she commanded. It jerked into life once more. "You put these," she pointed to her headphones, "into your ears." She reached and put one into Draco's ear, and one into her own. 

_Don't say I'm out of touch with this rampant chaos, your reality._

_I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge – the nightmare_

_I've built my own world to escape._

_In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby,_

_I lie inside myself for hours and watch the purple skies fly over me._

_Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming,_

_Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights._

_Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming,_

_The Goddess of imaginary light . . ._

"What sort of music is that?!"

"In the muggle world it is called rock. That particular type of rock is normally called metal, or goth."

"Goth?"

"People who wear a lot of black, chains, make up, black hair. Most 'normal' people think they're a bit odd."

"Are you a goth?"

"I suppose so. I don't really fit into a group. I like to be my own person. You know, independent."

"Sure. So who were that group? They were pretty good."

"Evanescence."

"Never heard of them."

"Of course not. They're a muggle group."

Draco leaned forwards and gave her a quick kiss. "I've got to go," he said. "Practice." 

"But…"

"Unless you can stop time, I have to go. I'm late already."

"I can't stop time, but…"

He smiled. "What?"

"I can slow it down slightly, for a couple of minutes."

"Good." He leant forwards and gave her a long lingering kiss. 

Suddenly Aurora pulled away and spoke in a voice that was not her own. "It is nearly time." It was a sort of double voice, as if there was more than one person speaking. Her eyes had gone fully black, no white or colour at all, and the lock at her brow shone a clear cool blue. "The day is near when I will meet my sister. We will have the Final Battle, and then the Fate of the world shall be decided. The Choice has to be made." The jewel in the ring on her finger, and the stone in the necklace around her glowed brightly, then faded.

Aurora jerked and fell backwards. Draco's arms caught her. 

"Rora?" 

Her eyes opened wearily. They were normal again, and her white lock was white once more. 

"Are you all right?"

"My head hurts."

"Do you want to go to the infirmary?"

"No. Just take me back to the common room. I need some sleep."

"But the match…"

"I'll make the match, but right now I need to sleep."

Draco helped her to stand up, and supported her back to the common room. 

"Are you sure… What? Everyone's moving so slowly!"

"Time is still slowed down. I'll speed it up again when I'm in my room." 

He helped her up the stairs. Aurora sat on her bed, and clapped her hands once. For a second the room was in a spin, then everything as normal again.

"You'd better go and practice."

"Yeah. Rest well, OK?"

"I will."

* * * * *

A/N :

So there it is! Chapter 7 is done!

The 'double' voice is sort of Goa'uld ish. You know, from SG1? No? Ah well, tis a good programme, you should all watch it. Unless you hate sci-fi. 

The bit with her back seems a bit messy. I know what it looks like but I can't write it. 

**Glitzy** : Sorry, can't be bothered to put your whole name! Yes, there was kissing at the end of Chapter 5! Don't like doing soppy stuff!

**Banba** : Don't know whether you got the message at the end of chapter 6 – the language is very loosely based on Sindarin, with Quenya and my own language. Mixed. There's a lot more in later chapters, but it takes so long to do I can only be bothered to do short bits!

**My Dearest Addie: Hello there darling. (Wendy Moira Angela?) More dude??????????? Please??????? FORTH EORLINGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Sammy** : Hello there! Chapter 4 of yours is really good. "Hats off for those about to fall."

**Xyakks** : Thanks for your review! How many chapters of yours are there now? I could only get on 6, but I got up to chapter 8 alerts! I've taken your advice and changed where the translations are. Ta!__


	8. Your Spirit and My Voice in One Combined

**A/N : **

Heeeeello there darlings! How are we all? Hope you're all alright and that you had a good Christmas / Yule / Eid / Hannukah / Random other festivals and a good New Year!

I've changed my name a few times in the last few weeks, but I think this one is about right for now.

Here it is, at last! Sorry it's taken me so long, but as I like to keep ahead of myself, I was determined not to put this up till I'd finished chapter 10. I haven't actually finished it, but my mates at school were getting annoyed and wanted some more. So here it is!

Disclaimer : What I would do to own the rights to HP and be a millionaire. Unfortunately – I don't. They belong to JK and WB. I do, however, own Aurora, Mara and Addie [the character not the person!].

This chapter is dedicated to everyone in the world. May this year be more peaceful than the last. It's also dedicated to the person-that-I-like-but-no-one-else-knows-who-he-is-cause-I-wont-tell-them. Yay!

*  *  *  *  *

_Dark wings, they are descending,_

_See the shadows gathering around._

Aurora woke up a few hours later. Her head was still painful, and there was a deep throbbing pain in her abdomen. When she tried to get up, dizziness hit her so quickly she fell down to the floor.

"What's happening to me?"

_Us, my dear, us._ said a crisp voice in her mind.

"What? Who are you?"

_I am you._

"No. I am me."

_I am what you are. We have met before. You know that I am here._

"You're the Spirit?"

_Yes._

"You were the one that talked earlier?"

_Yes. _

"Can you take any real form?"

_Yes._

"Then would you mind coming out? It's quite odd talking to myself." 

A dark shadow emitted from her mouth, and standing there in front of her was a tall black robed figure.

_Here. Let me help you get up._ It stretched out a black-gloved hand.

"Thanks, but I can do it myself," Aurora said weakly, clambering back up onto the bed. 

_You had better get some more rest._

"But the match…"

_It will have to be missed. You are weak right now, and need to rejuvenate. You need to keep strong and healthy._

"But..."

"Don't argue with me. You'll soon find out I always win." The figure had spoken aloud for the first time. 

"Can you stay outside of me?"

_Not for very long. I had better be going back inside now._

"How…"

_Just breathe in. Slowly._

Aurora breathed in, and the dark shadow disappeared.

_You can still talk to me._

"Good."

_Take care. We don't want you getting hurt._

"I will. Oh, and next time, tell me before you say something on behalf of me."

_I will. Now losto. _[A/N : Now sleep.]

Aurora slipped uneasily into sleep.

*

She was woken from a very good dream by hammering on her door. 

"Go away!" she mumbled

"Come in Draco," called a voice from the other side of the room.

Draco stormed through the door. "Why weren't you there?" he demanded.

"Careful Draco, you'll start to sound like your father soon."

"And who is this?" he said, glaring at the black robed figure sitting at Aurora's desk.

"Go away!" Aurora mumbled. "I was in the middle of a very good dream. It involved you, me and swimming."

"But who is _she_? At least I presume it's a she?"

"Yes I am thank you very much! Well, at this point in time anyway."

"She's the Spirit."

"Spir…"

"And she is meant to be in here." Aurora prodded her chest. "It's her fault I didn't get to the match. _She_ was meant to wake me up!"

"I so was not."

"Were."

"Not."

"Were."

"Not."

"Not."

"Were. Dammit! You tricked me!"

"We are very tricksy."

"Yes we are."

Draco, meanwhile, was still standing there in his Qudditch robes, confused.

"So," he said finally. "You are the same person?"

"No," they said together.

"Come and sit down here," said Aurora, motioning to the bed. "We had better talk about this. I have never really told you fully. Oh, but first, tell me what happened in the match."

"They beat us. Again. Potter has a Firebolt. I'll nevr be able to get the Snitch if he's still flying _that._" He slumped on to the bed. Aurora took one of his hands in hers.

"Oh well. There's always next time. Anyway, about me and _her_. When I was twelve, and I did the knife test, this happened as well. They didn't realize it at the time though. I am the Child of the Dark. Before me it was Amy, head of Morion, before her my father, before him his mother, her uncle, etcetera etcetera, stretching back as long as anyone can remember. It has not always been our family, there have been others, but for over two hundred years it has been predominantly us. One day I will pass it on, maybe to my children, maybe not, but it will be to another Morion. Unless before that time the Choice is made in the Final Battle."

"And she is…"

"The spirit that lives in me."

"There are two people sharing one body? How Quirrelish."

Aurora raised one eyebrow.

"Don't do that!"

She looked puzzled.

"My father does it, and it's really quite annoying."

"Oh. Anyway Addie here…"

"She has a name?!" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Of course I do!" retorted Addie indignantly.

"Addie here has only just talking. The Herenya's will pick it up soon enough. Then they'll be after me."

"No they won't." Addie spoke up. "They can't touch you yet. Until you are twenty one. And even then, they probably won't. Your mother will stop them."

"She will?"

"She loves you, you know that. She just sees too much of your father in you, that's all."

"So you two share a body?" Draco asked.

"My soul and her Spirit."

"Together?"

"Yes."

"I'll have to be dormant for a while now though. These outings have taken strength out of me. Deep breath please Rora."

Aurora breathed, and the figure disappeared once again.

"She is…"

"There is no way to explain her. I am sorry I missed the Qudditch, you know."

"Doesn't matter." He cast his eyes downwards.

"It does." She put one finger under his chin and pulled it slowly upwards, making his grey eyes look into hers, a bright blue. "I should have been there."

"But you're not very well."

"That is true."

"What's wrong?"

"My head."

"You should go to the hospital wing."

"I'm OK, I just need to rest. And eat. And drink."

"I'll go and get you something if you want."

"I don't mind really."

"I'll go." He kissed her gently and left.

_He's really something, isn't he?_ said the crisp voice in her mind.

_Yes._ she replied with a sigh. _It's a shame really._

_What's a shame?_

_What's going to happen to him._

_Yes._

*

Draco followed the winding corridors carefully. Aurora knew the school very well, even when she first came, and she had shown him all of the "secret" passages.

"Here we are," he whispered. He knocked sharply once, and a house elf answered the door. 

"Yes master?" it asked.

"Erm…" Draco did not know what to say. "Can I have some food please?" _That sounded really bad_, he thought quietly.

"Yes master. Come inside."

He stepped into the kitchens, which were virtually empty, except a few elves tidying up what was left of the day's rubbish. Four figures sat over by the fire, talking to an elf sitting in a large chair. Four human figures. Two boys, two girls. A black haired, a ginger and two mousey browns.

"Potter," he muttered, and swore gently under his breath.

"What would master like?"

Four heads turned to look at him. Four pairs of eyes glared at him.

_She's really become one of them, hasn't she?_ he asked Aurora.

_Yeah. It was kind of obvious she would though._

"Erm…" _What do you want to eat?_

_Some soup or something._

"Have you got any soup?"

"Yes. What kind would you like?"

_Vegetable please._

"Vegetable?"

"Yes sir." The elf scurried off to the other end of the kitchens. 

"Don't think you're too good to come down here Malfoy?" Harry stood up. 

"No. Why should I?"

"Oh, he's not down here for himself, are you?" Mara too stood up, and walked towards him. She started to gently probe into his mind.

"I didn't think you could do that Mara," he said, ignoring her last question. 

"Oh, I can. Just not very well."

Draco threw her mind out of his.

"Ow! How can you do that?"

"I have been taught."

"Ara?"

"Yes, _Aurora_ taught me. Why do you always call her Ara?"

"It is her name."

"No it isn't."

"Her full name is Ara, or Aurora Serena Morwen Eris Mina Amy Jasmine Arduriel Polgana. Perhaps you didn't know that?" she smiled.

"I…"

"Ara in Old Tongue means dawn. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn. Therefore Ara is Aurora."

"I knew that. Sort of." Draco was looking uncertain.

The elf came scurrying back over, a tray loaded with a big bowl of soup and a plate of bread in its hands. 

"Thanks," he said, taking it.

"Is that for Aurora?"

"Maybe."

"Why wasn't she at the match today?" Hermione too stood up, quickly followed by Ron.

"She was… erm…"

"She's ill."

"How…"

"I can feel it. We _are_ connected, as much as she tries to dismiss the fact." Mara's eyes rolled back in her head. "We are sisters," she spoke. It was the double voice, exactly like the one Aurora had used earlier. "Connected by more than just blood. By Spirit. The Final Battle draws close."

Draco's eyes widened. "Not you too!" he spluttered. 

"Me what?" Mara was oblivious of what had just happened.

"You…"

_Don't tell her, she doesn't know._

_But _they've _seen it._

_They can be arranged to forget._

Draco felt the surge of her sorcery._ That was weak._ he thought to her.

_I can't help it, I'm weak._

_Sorry. I'll bring this up now, shall I?_

_Please._

Draco turned and left without a word.

"What just happened?" asked Harry.

"I don't know," the others replied simultaneously.

"How did we get here? Weren't we by the fire?"

"Probably. Oh well." 

They walked back over to the elf in the chair by the fire and sat down once more.

*  *  *  *  *  *

**A/N :**

**Please review!**

Not that much of an interesting chapter, but had to be done for things to fit in later.

A great big hello to all of these people :

Arduriel Celebel Arangua (as per usual)

Jezuz (who reviewed the wrong story, so unless you read my reviews on the other one, you're not going to see the funniest review ever!)

Skankers (helped Jezuz write the review)

Katie (swash, swash, buckle, buckle!)

Catherine and Sarah R. (I WILL NEVER TELL YOU! MWAHAHAHAHA!)

Mehreen

Sarah B.

Zoya (Mehreen's cousin)

Hannah with-many-names

Meow (can't remember who you are!)

Glitzy (my name is now longer than yours!)

Sammy Malfoy

bad idea

Elvira


	9. In The Cold, Cold Night

**A/N** :

Yo doodums!

Hope you're all alright. Personally, I was a bit depressed until Friday night. But now I'm fine. Or I will be until sometime in the next week, when it'll all go downhill again. Oh well, that's my life!

Yes, most of you do know now. Don't brag about it, OK? I am scared of myself for admitting it!

If you don't understand something, email me or put it in your REVIEW!

As usual, I own nothing except Aurora, Addie [character not person], Mara, Lucy, Amy and Clíodhna. I don't own White Stripes or Evanescence lyrics or any HP related stuff or characters.

This chapter is dedicated to . . . Jack and Meg White for giving me the best night of my life so far. And all of you guys too!

* * *

Aurora recovered slowly over the next week, going back to her usual ways of not paying attention in any of her classes (except Potions) and never handing in her homework. She spent her spare time sitting her room, talking to Draco, listening to depressing music (as usual) and reading her Tome and Muggle books.

One day, about two weeks later, Aurora walked into the Great Hall, looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. She walked down the middle of the Hall between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, still gazing up at the pumpkin-dotted ceiling.

The Great Hall was empty of students, and preparations were being made for the evening's feast and ball for the older students. Most of the older students, Draco and Mara included, were in Hogsmeade. Aurora had not been given permission to go, and she knew if she did go, invisible, Mara would sense her and tell the nearest teacher straight away. Aurora usually took risks, but not this time. She turned back when she reached the teacher's table and walked back slowly towards the doors.

_I have always loved Samhain_. she thought. _But Yule is still my favourite festival!_

Aurora had been too busy to celebrate Mabon, and people already thought she was strange enough without finding out about her 'strange' religious beliefs.

She went quickly back to her room and changed from the plain black school robes she was wearing into black baggy cords, a red top which proudly proclaimed _'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself'_. She did not put on any shoes or socks, just went barefoot.

She strode out into the grounds, her rucksack on her back. A few of the younger students were outside too as it was a lovely Autumnal day. She sat down on the grass near the Forbidden Forest, got out her book, '_Hades' Daughter'_ and her CD player, and began to read.

_I saw you standing in the corner,  
__On the edge of a burning light,  
__I saw you standing in the corner,  
__Come to me again in the cold, cold night.  
___

_You make me feel a little older,  
__Like a full grown woman might,  
__But when you're gone I feel colder_

_Come to me again in the cold, cold night.  
__I don't care what other people say,  
__I'm going to love you anyway,  
__Come to me again in the cold, cold night._

_I can't stand it any longer,  
__I need the fuel to make my fire bright,  
__So don't fight it any longer,  
__Come to me again in the cold, cold night._

Draco paced up and down outside the Great Hall. He was dressed in his black dress robes, and, as usual, he was waiting for Aurora to appear.

"Come on, come on!" he muttered angrily to himself. A couple walking past arm-in-arm stared at him, but he just gave them a dirty look and they turned back and hurried towards the Hall. "Where is she?" he muttered.

_Getting ready stupid_. Her voice sounded in his head. _I don't normally take this long, but I felt like getting dressed up a bit, which is something that doesn't happen very often._

_How long are you going to be?_

_About five minutes._

Five minutes passed but still Aurora did not appear. The majority of people had already entered the Hall, but he had not seen Potter, Weasley, Granger or Mara.

He looked up briefly and saw a figure walking statuesquely down the corridor towards him.

Aurora. Her hair, raven blue-black and wavy as usual, was down to her waist, and pulled back slightly, allowing most of it to fly free. The white streak was still prominent on the left side.

Her dress, for she had refused to wear robes, was simple yet elegant. The sleeves and hem touched the floor, and her hands were lost under folds of fabric in midnight blue. She wore a violet cord around her waist, a sign of her power.

Her eyes were deep grey and wolf-like. The stone on the silver chain around her neck was a violet amethyst, as was the stone in her ring.

_You're not wearing any shoes_. Draco noted. _Why?_

_Today is Samhain._

_Saw- what? Do you mean Halloween?_

_No, Samhain. I am wearing no shoes as a sign of respect and oneness with nature. Its religious stuff._

By this time she had reached where Draco was standing. "Shall we?" he said as he offered her an arm, which she took.

They entered the hall like a King and Queen. The majority of people were dancing, but those who did not have a partner, like Crabbe, Goyle and, surprisingly, Pansy, stood to one side of the hall or sat on various chairs scattered around the sides.

"Dance?" asked Draco.

"Of course," replied Aurora.

There was a band playing called 'Mort and Company', who Aurora thought were pretty good because they played decent rock music and they had a lady drummer.

Aurora turned after about half an hour to look at the doors. Four latecomers were trying to enter unnoticed. _Potter, Granger, Weasley and Mara._ she thought.

"I'll be right back," she whispered into Draco's ear. She stopped for a second, then pressed her ring into his hand. "Take this for me, will you?" she asked, then walked away, leaving Draco stranded in the middle of all of the dancing.

_Where are you going?_ he asked.

_To talk to Mara. You can listen if you want to._ She crossed over to where the four had stopped, and she greeted Potter, Weasley and Granger with a curt nod of her head.

She then turned to Mara, and took her hands. Simultaneously, they both dropped own onto one knee in a sort of bow, and then stood back up again. The trio looked utterly shocked, as did Draco.

"Kala. Amin umya ve le, nana min noa lye shu na potel an ech naa?" asked Aurora. [A/N : Kala. I don't like you, but can we at least be civil to each other?]

Mara thought for a minute. "Ten i mont," she replied. [A/N : For the moment.]

"Good. Naevaer Kala."

"Naevaer Ara."

Aurora walked to where Draco was standing, and took her ring from his hand. "What was that?" he asked.

"We agreed that even though we fight on opposite sides now, we used to be friends and . . . "

"You used to be friends with _her_?" asked Draco.

"Yes. Quite good friends actually. We grew up together, and her father and my mother were friends."

"I think I know you, and then you tell me things I don't know."

"I don't think anyone will ever know me entirely."

They went back to dancing, but about two hours later, as the songs were beginning to slow, Aurora lifted her head from Draco's shoulder. She sensed a new sorcerer presence somewhere near.

"What's wrong?" Draco whispered in her ear. He turned to look where Aurora was staring. A figure was entering the hall, clad in a long black cloak. Mara glanced up sharply from where she was dancing, then she turned and looked at Aurora, a dark hatred in her eyes.

_Mara . . . no._ thought Aurora.

_I didn't make a pact with any of the others, just you._

_You dare . . . _

_Oh, I won't. Yet._

_You're good with threats. Ever thought about joining us?_

Mara's face visibly changed. _NO!_ she thought defiantly.

_That's what we all thought to start with. Now, I have to go and talk to her. _Aurora walked over to where the figure was standing, took its hand and led it out of the hall. They went to a small room off of the main corridor.

"Amin cuio an buio, Hîril nîn," the figure announced in a feminine voice, kneeling down in front of Aurora and offering up a hand. Aurora took her hand, pulled her to her feet and took down her hood. Underneath was a girl of about Aurora's age. [A/N : I live to serve, my Lady]

"Elen síla lúmen' omentielvo, Gwathel Clíodhna. Man prestad?" [A/N : Literally : A star shines upon the hour of our meeting, Sister Clíodhna.]

"Laume. Amin telin tengwa an le." [A/N :Nothing. I have a letter for you.]

"Hannon le." Clíodhna handed Aurora a large envelope.

She tore open the envelope, and inside there were three letters. The first read:

_Dear Aurora,_

_ The next council meeting is to be in one week, on the 7th of November. We hope you will be able to attend despite your busy school schedule._

_ Amy_

_ Head of Morion_

_P.S. Please do not forget you have to speak, and please bring Draco along with you._

The next one was a long and complicated letter from one of Aurora's good friends, Lucy, about life outside of Hogwarts, her job and her newly acquired boyfriend, Scott. The last letter however, was the one that she found the most interesting.

_I, Amy, head of the Morion Order of the Sorcerers and legal Guardian to Aurora Polgana, as designated by her father, give her permission to go to the village of Hogsmeade when the rest of her year goes._

"Can she do that?" asked Aurora to herself, forgetting that Clíodhna was still in the room.

"Do what, Hîril nîn?" asked Clíodhna.

"Never mind. Hannon le, Gwathel Clíodhna."

"Its alright. Am cuio an buio, remember?"

Aurora laughed. "I know."

"Loth amin hauta lye us, Hîril nîn?" asked Clíodhna. [A/N : May I take your leave my Lady?]

"Of course you may Clíodhna."

Clíodhna shimmered slightly, then disappeared.

"Who was that?" asked a voice from behind Aurora.

"Clíodhna."

"A Gwathel of yours presumably?"

"Yes."

"I should have killed her when I had the chance."

"Mara," said Aurora, turning round. Draco was there too, and Potter. "Both you and I know that we aren't meant to kill anyone. Yet. In fact, killing is a last resort, which you, more than us resort too."

Mara could find no answer to this.

"Actually, _Mara_, what do you have against us?"

"You're evil."

"Why?"

"Well . . ."

"The Shadows were neutral. You were the ones that started the killing, all of those years ago. We are only how we are because your people cast us out into the darkness!"

Mara just stared. "I don't think so," she said finally.

"You haven't been taught both sides of the story, have you?"

"No . . ."

"I have. And its all your people's fault." Aurora marched past them out of the door, half dragging Draco with her.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"Old grudges die hard, even if you have just agreed to be civil."

"What?"

Aurora sighed. By now they were back in the Great Hall, in the midst of all of the dancing. "Come on," she said, holding out her arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Le meluvan úne ar alye lúmessen tenna nurucilie," she whispered.

"Hm?"

"Never mind."

_The words have been drained from this pencil.  
__Sweet words that I want to give you.  
__I need to tell you . . . goodnight._

_When we're together I feel perfect,  
__When I'm pulled away from you I fall apart.  
__All you say is sacred to me_

_Somehow I'll show you that you are my night sky,  
__I've always been right behind you,  
__Now I'll always be right beside you. _

_So many nights I've cried myself to sleep,  
__But now that you love me, I love myself_

_I never thought I would say that I would say that   
__I never thought there would be you . . . _

* * *

**A/N** :

I LOVE BOTH OF THOSE SONGS! (I changed the last one slightly though)

Hope you enjoyed it! PLEASE review!

Do you think I went a bit overboard with her description? Its just a few people have been saying they don't know exactly what she looks like, so I thought I'd do that.

There is quite a lot of Old Tongue. Things that I have translated once, I have not again. Sorry if this confuses you!

**People** :

**GlitzyDancingShoes / Blue Fingers / Keep Off The Grass-Sign **(or whatever your name is now!) : Yeah, I know the head convos can get a bit confusing, but just stick with it OK? Please?

**Addie **: Dudette, you reviewed! Keep going with yours, its really good! (just don't MS her)

**Hannah / Piratesobsessee** : WHY DID YOU TAKE YOUR STORY OFF? JUST BECAUSE **SOME** PEOPLE FLAMED IT!

**Jesus **: Thank you Jesus son-of-god (notice god in small letters) for your wonderful comments. I'll just ignore them shall I? Cause, quite frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!

**Skankers / Skanky** : Dudette, you haven't even read it, so you can't complain about it.

**Katie **: I've told you. Now can I meet Orli? No? Poo.

**Arwen-Geogie-Skye** : NEW REVIEWER! (But its prob only cause I reviewed yours) Thank you sooooooooo much for your comments, and I'm glad you like Aurora. And yes, it is a Sindarin / Quenya / random other languages hybrid. Well done! For some reason it won't let me review chapter 7 of 'Falling Into Love'. I'll try again later though. Keep up the good work!

**Mehreen** : Heeeeello! I'm only saying hi coz if I don't you'll get mad, and you're scary when you're mad! Say hi to your cousin from me too!

**Elvira** : Hi! I got your review on my other account (after finally remembering the password) and thanks! Hope you will review again.

**Catherine** : So now you know. Pft. I know I said this would be up on Sunday, but as I had to completely re-type it, it isn't. DON'T KILL ME!

**And a big "Heeeeeelloooooooo campers!" to anyone else!**


	10. A Million Miles From Home

**A/N : **Hello all! 

Hope you are all OK. I am . . . tired. But its half term, so I can sleep a lot! 

Did you people see the BAFTAs? He presented an award. I screamed. A lot.

There may be another update later this week cause it is half term and I can get some more writing done. But I have mucho coursework [FOUR PIECES I TELL YOU! SHOCKING!] so it may not happen. I don't know yet. Depends on reviews. So please do review. 

I believe you should all go read Arduriel Celebel Arangua's story Abandoned. Its great and she wants some 'proper' reviewers – i.e. people that she doesn't know! So please do go R&R hers!

I own nothing except just about everyone in this chapter. Draco – no. Aurora/Rora, Olivia/Liv/Livi, Amy, Lucy, Addie, Mara, Ben, Serena and any other names you don't recognise from HP – yes! MINE ALL MINE! 

This chapter is dedicated especially to Arwen-Georgie-Skye. But also to all of the rest of you out there. 

Enjoy!

*

_So are we lost or do we know which direction we should go?_

_Sit around and wait for someone to take our hands and lead the way . . ._

*

_Are you ready?_

_Yes._

It was a week later, and eleven o'clock [pm], and Aurora was getting ready for her tri-monthly council meeting. The Elders and Amy had asked Draco to attend, and Aurora did not know why, as the relationship between sorcerers and wizards was always tense.

_Meet you in the Common room then._ Aurora thought to him as she walked down the stairs, quickly checking that no one was around.

"Don't you think someone will see us?" asked Draco. "I've already had detentions for being out of bed after hours."

"Not scared are you?" Aurora grinned, grasping his hand and pulling him towards the doors.

"Well . . . "

"This isn't like you."

"Why do they want me to come?"

"How many times must I tell you, I really don't know!"

"How are we going to get there?" asked Draco. "Wherever there is," he added.

"Its in London."

"And how are we meant to get there?"

"Well . . . I'm going to fly."

"You can fly?"

"I'm going to fly as a snowy owl."

"And me?"

"You're going to have to be a mouse or something to carry in my claws."

"A-a-a mouse?!" Draco looked shocked, scared and horrified all at once.

"Look, you'll survive!"

"Yeah right! What if you drop me?"

"I won't!"

"B-b-but . . . "

Aurora looked up at the sky, and Draco's eyes followed hers. Overhead flew about thirty birds of different shapes and sizes, including hawks, sparrows and owls. One of them gave a shriek and flew down to settle next to Aurora. It gave a few squawks, and Aurora nodded and it flew back up to the rest of the flock, who hovered overhead.

"What's happening?"

"Time to go."

"B-b-b . . ."

"Just stand still and relax."

Aurora focused hard, outstretched her hands and shut her eyes, as she had been taught. A small black rat sat in front of her.

"I didn't tell you something Draco. I've never turned anyone else before, only myself," she whispered. She closed her eyes again and shimmered into an owl, picked Draco up in her claws and flew up to meet the rest of the birds, who were still hovering overhead.

*

Lucy watched the flock of birds fly down to near where she and Amy were standing.

_Catch_! she heard a voice say in her head. A small black rat fell out of the sky and into her arms. A snowy owl settled down in front of them. The air shimmered and Aurora stood there.

"Is this yours?" smiled Lucy, holding out the rat in her hands.

Aurora smiled back and took the rat from Lucy's hands and placing it on the ground. The air shimmered again and a very dishevelled Draco sat there, looking dazed.

"Give him a moment to come around," said Lucy.

Aurora gave her friend a hug, and then turned to Amy. "Thank you for the letters. Is everyone coming?"

"A few absences, but no one major, _unlike last time_."

"You and I both know that that was not my fault."

Amy changed the subject. "I see you brought Draco then."

"Yes."

"I don't know how welcome he will be."

"They made me pretty welcome."

"That is on the surface. Underneath the prejudices are still there. The thing with your father and Voldemort didn't help."

"I've removed a few prejudices from people." [Note : Lucius earlier.]

"We know. Now!" Amy turned to the crowd who had gathered behind her. "Suilaid ilya! Shall we go inside?" she asked. [A/N : Greetings all!]

Aurora held out her hand to Draco and pulled him up from the floor. "How was that?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Never again!" he replied.

"We have to get back somehow!"

"Can't we . . . translocate or whatever you call it?"

"Suppose. Easier to fly though."

Draco stared up at the large run down mansion-like house in front of them. "Where exactly are we?" he asked.

"On the outskirts of London. We meet in different places every time for fear that _they_ will find us. We then translocate to a cave somewhere under the ground."

"Right . . ."

"You'll be fine." She took Draco's hand and led him inside to the large main hallway. The only people left were Lucy and Amy, who had apparently been waiting for them.

Amy strode forward. "Introduce us then Rora."

"Erm . . . Draco, this is Amy, head of Morion, and a good friend of mine, and Lucy, deputy to Amy and my best friend for over ten years."

Draco shook each of their hands. "Draco Malfoy . . ." he said.

"We know who you are," said Amy.

Amy, Draco observed, was the smallest member of the group. She had long copper red ringlets, with some streaks of premature grey, and bright green eyes. She looked about thirty five years old. 

Lucy was the middle one in height. She had shoulder length straight blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkled like the sea. She was about the same age as Aurora, about seventeen. 

All three of them wore long black skirts and black long sleeved tops with a small pattern stitched in red on the left hand sleeve. Each of them wore a different coloured piece of ribbon tied around their hips, Amy's purple, Lucy's purple and red and Aurora's gold and purple.

_What exactly is with the ribbon?_ Draco thought to Aurora.

"They symbolize our level of power," answered Amy.

"How . . ."

"Never think anything you don't want to be heard around here. Most of us have pretty good psychic skills. Rora, we really must go. They are expecting us."

Amy took hold of Lucy's hand; Lucy took Aurora's and Aurora Draco's. Draco took Amy's.

Draco felt a surge of power and heard a rushing sound in his ears. He felt his feet lifted off of the ground, then a few seconds later he felt them touch back down again. He opened his eyes cautiously.

The small group were standing at the back of a large crowd of mixed men and women, who were all milling around talking in small groups. The cave was large and had stalagmites and stalactites protruding from the ceiling and floor. There was a large deep blue pool behind them, and a small stream ran to the front of the cave, where there was a large curved platform with a stone table and chairs on it.

_Sixteen chairs? _Draco thought to Aurora.

_Twelve Elders, one head of Morion, one deputy, one Chosen One, one Spirit of the Dark.__ But she almost never comes._

_Addie?_

_Yes. Come on!_

_Where am I going to sit?_

_There is a seat for you at the front._

_Why exactly am I here?_

_Well . . ._

_Hm?___

_There is something about you in my speech. But I wrote that before Amy asked me to bring you._

_Speech?___

_I have to speak. Now we really must go._ She tugged at his hand.

They walked around the crowd and Draco could see that in from of the crowd there were about two hundred stone chairs, presumably for the crowd to sit on.

When they got to the front, Aurora said, "You can sit here," then turned to go.

"Where are you going?"

"To get ready."

"So . . ."

"I'll be back in about five minutes. But I sit up there," she pointed to a seat on the raised platform. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. If anyone talks to you, talk back. Some of this lot," she indicated the crowd, "hold grudges against wizards because of the way you have tried to gain our knowledge, power and wipe us out in the past, but they know you're with me, so no great harm will come to you. Sticks and stones, Draco, sticks and stones."

*

Aurora left Draco standing alone with about two hundred sorcerers, and he was slightly scared. A lady approached him, and smile on her vaguely familiar face.

"Hello," she said in a cheerful voice.

"Erm . . . hi," replied Draco, remembering what Aurora had said to him about talking to anyone who came up to him.

"I'm Olivia."

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"No, but you probably know my daughter."

Something clicked in Draco's mind. The eyes, the shape of the face. "You're Mara's mother aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Aurora told me about you."

"Nothing bad I hope."

"Well, she told me you used to be a member of Rana."

Olivia pulled up her sleeve to show her 'good' mark, which had been roughly crossed out. "Yes I did, until the pull of power from Morion became too strong."

"Mara blames Aurora for it doesn't she?"

"Mara blames Aurora for virtually anything that goes wrong with her life. But not for me turning. For that she blames Aurora's father."

"Her father?"

"She hasn't told you much about her father has she?" said Olivia, giving a gentle probe into Draco's mind.

"Stop it!"

"You can feel me doing that?"

"Yes. You and about a hundred other people in this room."

"She's taught you well."

"Back to the subject please?"

"Ah yes. Ben. He turned nearly twenty years ago now. His new wife at the time, Aurora's mother, was meant to be the best Child of Light they ever had. But even she did not know what he was doing in secret behind her back. He spied for Morion and Voldemort for nearly five years. After Aurora was born, he told Serena and Rana all about it. As you can imagine, they were not pleased."

"And you?"

"Just after they found Ben out, the Ranas had a major crackdown on all security. They found me out then. Ben had been plaguing me for years, but I gave in after I had Mara. She's lived with her Ada all of these years, but now she lives with him and his new wife, Lana."

A bell sounded once. "I've got to go," said Olivia. As she walked away, it sounded again, and the people around him started to take their seats.

Twelve people were now sat at the table on the platform, six man and six women. One of them, Draco could see, was Olivia, now with some sort of circlet around her head. The bell rang a third and final time and the cave went deathly silent except for the sound of running water from the stream.

Three figures approached the platform from the back. In the middle was Amy, with Lucy to her left and Aurora to her right. They each wore basically the same, dresses with long skirts and long sleeves slashed from the elbow down.

Amy wore deep forest green with an emerald set in her gold circlet. Lucy wore scarlet red with a ruby set in her silver circlet. Aurora, as usual, wore midnight blue with a sapphire and diamonds in her platinum circlet. She had a necklace around her neck, which, like her white streak in her hair usually did, glowed a faint blue. Draco looked up to her face and saw that the streak too glowed iridescent blue.

Lucy and Aurora sat down in their places, but Amy stayed standing. "Mae tellin ilya!" Her voice rang clear through the cave. "I sincerely hope you are all well. We have some reports tonight and some news, nothing unusual. First a report from Aurora." [A/N : Welcome all!]

Aurora stood up. Unaware of himself, Draco held his breath.

"As most of you know," she began, "I was not present at our last meeting, for reasons beyond my own control. The main reason, as some of you know, was that I was thrown out of 'home' by my mother and Lana." Draco heard a few mutters around the room at the mention of these two people.

"Since then, as you may or may not know, I have started to attend the Wizarding School of Hogwarts to . . . now how did Lana put it? Ah, yes. To 'further my education'."

"We could teach you all you need to know without having to go there!" shouted a voice from the crowd.

"I have no doubt you could Tara. And it is true, I already know most of the knowledge that they teach there, but education is not the main reason I finally agreed to go there." Her eyes flicked to Draco momentarily, and she could see the astonishment on his face, yet somehow his eyes told her he had known all along. "I went there to spy.

"For a few years now, we have started to realise something. But not just us, the Ranas, Estels and Herenyas too." There were a few boos and hisses around the room. "This isn't pantomime you know!" Everyone laughed. "We have started to realise that they are catching up with us." Draco heard a few people hold their breath.

"Now Voldemort has come back into power, he is gathering his supporters and passing on his knowledge, so that they in turn may pass it on to whoever they choose." Her eyes flicked down to Draco once again. "The Death Eaters are multiplying, and they between them are gaining enough power to overthrow us if they wished too." There were more mutters around the room, even more than before.

"There is no point trying to suppress them, as they will only rise up, more angry and violent than before. Plus now the Ministry knows that Voldemort has indeed come back into power, as they tried to deny last year. I am saying we should try to join forces again."

"But you of all people know what happened last time!" The same person as before, Tara, shouted.

"I know what happened last time. Last time we lost the best Dark sorcerer we ever had, amongst others, when his forces turned on us. But this time . . . it will be different!"

"And how do you propose we talk to Voldemort?" Draco flinched even more every time the Dark Lord's name was spoken. "Do you think he has an office in their stupid Ministry of Magic?"

"I have built up close relations with a boy I believe can help me to get to talk him." At the 'close relations' bit, Draco saw Aurora's best friend Lucy fighting hard to keep her face straight and stifle a giggle.

"And just who is that?"

"Draco Malfoy," said Aurora simply.

"A MALFOY?!" shouted Tara, standing up now. "Of all the people to have 'close relations' with, and we all know what that really means," she added, "it had to be a Malfoy. I'd have thought _you_ would have had more sense than that Aurora Polgana!"

Aurora looked slightly shocked, then outraged, but regained her composure quickly. She muttered under her breath a few words in an unfamiliar language, and then continued in English.

"I believe it is up to me who I have 'close relations' with Tara, not you." She turned back to face the rest of the crowd.

"The other side have been taking on unusually large numbers recently. The Ranas' numbers in particular seem to have almost doubled. We have always been a relatively small force, but I think we need to act to increase and strengthen our numbers.

"As well as me going to Hogwarts, Lana had recently sent Mara there. It seems Mara, though still behind me in her studies, is gaining on me rapidly with her understanding and knowledge of the Craft. Her psychic mind is still dormant, but all barriers foolishly put there by Lana have been broken.

There was not really a lot to learn from her, as it seems she rarely attends Council meetings, and my mother and Lana keep her in the dark about most things. She does not know that the Spirit of Light lies within her, or does she know she is Chosen. I do not believe they will tell her yet, as they still believe she is too young."

"And yet you know, therefore you are still ahead of her." Amy spoke this time from Aurora's left. "It took you four, perhaps six months to adjust to having the Spirit of the Dark."

"I feel that Mara will have more help than I did." Amy looked slightly angry at this comment. "I know you could not help me a lot whilst I still lived with _them_, Amy. I think that my Amme and Lana will give Mara all of the help they can. She could be trained in two weeks if they load things straight into her memory rather than teaching it to her."

"Two weeks?" came murmurs from the crowd. 

"Two weeks. It is possible. Highly possible and highly probable. I think that just about concludes my report."

*

**A/N :**

This was a pretty long chapter for me, almost 3000 words. I hope you liked it!

Hey to all these people!

**Katie Bloom :** Dudette! Yes, Kat may well kill you if you say you like the French. Though we are starting to bring her round to thinking they aren't so bad!

**Rje**: Hi Rachel! So glad you read this! I know I said it was gonna be up on Saturday, but I just didn't get round to it. 

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye** : I can't believe you reviewed every chapter! I tried to review 10 of Falling, but it won't let me. Again. It's a great chapter, so I'll try again soon! 

**DLSnapeKurama18 **: Old Tongue is great isn't it? Not really a lot in this chapter though! 

**Lupu**: Gnarly! Do YOU have any idea when Blink's new single is out? I asked Addie and she didn't know, but I thought you might. I LOVE THAT SONG!

**Catherine **: I still hide, ashamed, in my corner. 

**Hannah** : Magical, indeedy.

**Meeny** : You have an account now right? What is it? I think you should write!

**Glitzydancingshoes** : Does sort of sound like Morons doesn't it? Ah, well. Never mind! Still boogling? I am!


	11. Are You Ready For This?

**A/N :**

OK people that know me personally, stop hassling! I just don't have the time at the moment, what with sooo much coursework and all. 

Yes I do love Gary Oldman. But I am IN LOVE with BO'D. I admit it. *Shrieks and runs away to her corner*

This is dedicated to Rje [or Rachel]. She hassles the most so I put this up today. Sorry I write it next to you in German, but I gotta write some time!

Disclaimer : Basically I own everyone in here except Draco. That includes : Aurora/Rors/Rora, Olivia/Liv/Livi, Will, Amy, Lucy [NOT the person], Matilda/Tilly, Conan, Isolde and many more.

So here it is at last : I present to you Chapter Eleven  . . .

*

_Non credere in tutto ciò che ti viene ditto, credi in te stesso, nel tuo mondo_

Do not believe in what they say, believe in yourself, in your own world

*

_Il mondo ha bisogno di te, anche quando to sento la persona più inutile_

The world needs you, even when you feel you're the least important person

*

After Aurora's speech, the cave was utterly silent. Amy stood up.

"Thank you Aurora. Now . . ."

There were a few reports from various Elders about what had been going on in the other three Orders and some comments from the floor, but everyone seemed tense.

Then Amy stood up again. "I am sure you all have a lot to discuss with us and each other. Lye senda."    [A/N : We retire]

Each of the Elders, Lucy, Amy and Aurora reached up simultaneously and took off their circlets. This seemed to break the tension in the room, and people around Draco started to talk and stand up.

Aurora and Lucy stood up and linked arms. They went down some steps that had just appeared, facing away from where Draco was sitting. A few people stopped them, but Aurora seemed to give them short answers. Amy called Lucy over to where she was standing with Tara and a few other people, and Aurora was left alone.

A young man, who appeared to be about the same age as Draco and Aurora, walked over to her, and Draco saw her smile. She kissed him lightly on each cheek and then hugged him tightly. He whispered something in her ear, and she giggled and pushed him lightly on the nose.

_What the . . ._ thought Draco.

"Don't worry," came Olivia's voice from the seat next to him.

"But . . ."

"They've been best friends for a long time, and they were together for nearly five years. Everyone thought they would get married in a few years time."

"You plan far ahead, don't you?"

"Quite a long way. But then Aurora went to Hogwarts and met you. She broke his heart, and he still loves her."

"How do you know?"

"We can see thoughts remember? Oh, and he is my son."

Draco spluttered. "Your son?"

"Mara's twin brother. If you look more closely, they are quite alike."

"Mara had a twin? Is that another reason Mara resents Aurora so much?"

"Mara thinks he lives in America with my sister. He has actually lives here, and has all of the time. I have a feeling that Aurora may use it against her some time."

"Talking about my wonderful sister?" came the young man's voice from beside them. He was standing arm in arm with Aurora, and from this distance, Draco could see both the resemblance to his mother and to his sister.

"And you," said Olivia.

"Draco, this is . . ." started Aurora.

"Will," said the young man, offering out his hand to Draco, who took it and shook it firmly.

"So Rors," he said, turning back to Aurora," how is my sister?"

"Pissing me off as usual. She goes around quite like D'Artagnan, the fourth Musketeer," Draco did not understand this reference but did not say anything, "with the 'Golden Trio'." She looked over at Draco, and saw his lip curl slightly. "And now, big surprise, she perfectly fits into their little gang. She seems quite well to me."

"Shame," he smiled.

"I know. Though it is nice to know the person you're going to have to duel with to decide the Fate of the World. I need to know her strong and weak points. Some I already know."

"She's black belt karate and holds the blue ribbon of the Craft. She uses a sword or her fists in battle, and it must be _her_ sword or she won't fight, she'll surrender. She can talk to and understand animals, but knows nothing of the psychic world or herbal lore. Only two of her five, maybe six, skills have fully awakened."

Now Draco was really confused. There was so much that Aurora had not told him about her life, so much she still had to tell him. But still they kept on talking.

"What were her given skills?" asked Aurora.

"Human understanding, animal understanding, combat and healing, knowledge and visage casting."

"The same as me."

"Have yours awakened?"

"Four fully, one hazy."

"Which?"

"Animals. They think so strangely."

Will laughed. Draco looked into his eyes and saw a deep love for Aurora, as well as respect and friendship. There was a faint rushing sound in Draco's ears and Aurora spoke to him for the first time in a while.

_No one else can hear us?_

_Are you sure?_

_Yes. Oh, and by the way, stop thinking._

_Stop . . ._

_Everyone can hear what you think around here, including Will. But I think he's trying not to look at your thoughts. He finds those about me too painful._

_You didn't you tell me?_

_About what?_

_The fact that Mara has a brother, and a twin at that. And the fact that you had a serious boyfriend before you met me._

_You didn't really need to know. There are many similarities between Mara and myself._

_YOU HAVE A TWIN?!_

_Oh, did I not tell you? _Aurora raised one eyebrow slightly and smirked.

_No you did not!_

_I _had _a twin. She died ten years ago at Yule, the 21st of December. And still I'm not certain what happened to her. I was told 'natural causes' at the time, but with us that could mean anything._

_What was her name? _

_Eldara. She was the older twin, and the complete opposite of me, blonde and quite quiet. I have some pictures of us both in my photo album back at school. I'll show you them when we get back. _Draco saw a lonely tear fall from Aurora's left eye, and she reached up slowly and brushed it away with her hand.

_Do you have any other brothers or sisters?_

_Two sisters, one brother. Well, they're my half-sisters and half-brothers actually._

_Half?_

_My mother got remarried. My sisters are Matilda, she's fourteen, and Isolde, she's eleven. My brother, Conan, is seven. I haven't seen them all for so long._

_You miss them, don't you?_

_Very much._

Mother and son were deep in conversation about Mara, so Aurora and Draco left them to talk.

Draco took Aurora's hand. They walked to some seats further back in the cave, where there were less people. 

"You're using me aren't you?" Draco whispered in her ear. "To get closer to the Dark Lord in order to gain more power."

They sat down. Aurora looked away for a second, and then looked straight into his eyes, her clear blue into his grey. "To start with, that was our plan. But since I met you, rather than spying on you, everything has changed."

"You were spying on _me_?"

"Not to start with. To start with I was watching Potter. I saw everything that happened last year at school, including what happened in the Ministry. I was then told to watch the Death Eaters. I saw your father go into Azkaban, and I saw them search your house. I saw the Dementors set the Death Eaters free from the prison, before leaving themselves to follow the Dark Lord. I saw Voldemort," Draco cringed, "sorry, the Dark Lord, trick the whole of the magical world into believing that the Death Eaters were still all 'good'. We may even have helped with the supply of power."

"You . . . saw all of this?"

"Yes. Right now there are . . . three sorcerer spies watching your Manor alone. But that changes regularly."

"But . . . how . . .?"

"Do you think it is time to give it him Aurora?" came a voice from behind them. Amy and Lucy stood there, with a crowd of people behind them.

"Give him . . . so soon?"

"We feel he is ready. Then he can find out more about you and your life, instead of you hiding things from him all of the time. You shall have to help him of course. It is more difficult for a wizard or witch to master, but given time they can develop just as fully as ours," said Amy.

"If you're sure."

"Only if you are sure Aurora. He needs someone close to him to help him through the first few weeks. Do you think he is ready?" It seemed to be more of a challenge than a question.

"Yes, I do believe he is ready."

"Ready for what?" Draco spoke up.

"Give me your hands." Amy took Draco's hands and studied the palms for a moment. Then she placed both of his hands in one of hers, and placed the other hand on the top of his head. He closed his eyes, as he felt was appropriate at this time.

"I bestow on you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, the gift of Old Tongue and the understanding of humans." A book appeared by Amy's side, and she let go of his hands and head to hand it to him. "I give you a copy of the Tome and our Prophecies. You must read this and fully understand it before the Final Battle and Choice. Aurora shall help you. Go now, and understand."

Draco opened his eyes as someone grabbed his hand.

"We've got to go," said Aurora quickly. "_They_ can See you, and unless we get it out of here, thus sealing that rift, they will find out where we meet and get your Tome. And they are not things we want to fall into enemy hands. They are not given out very often. You should be highly honoured." 

Draco could tell many of the sorcerers that had seen him receive his Tome were shocked that Amy had bestowed this gift on him. He heard whispers that they thought it was scandalous that this Gift had been granted to a "lowly" wizard, especially a Malfoy.

Before they left, Will came up to them, shook Draco's hand and once again hugged Aurora. "Look after her for me won't you?" he said. "She still is my sister, after all. And try not to be _too_ hard on her Rors."

"I can try," answered Aurora. "I will probably fail, but I can try. We did make that civil treaty though."

Olivia came over next, and kissed both Aurora and Draco on the cheek. Draco did not really know what to do, so he just smiled politely. "Look after yourselves," she said to them. "The pieces move Aurora. They will keep changing, so watch out." Aurora just nodded, and Draco took this to be a cryptic clue for something that was to happen in the future.

"Can you get back unaided?" asked Amy.

"I think so," answered Aurora.

"Good. Naevaer Ara. Naevaer Draco. Keep in touch. You know, by the normal way."

"Sure. Naevaer ilya."

"Bye," mumbled Draco.

Aurora took his hands in hers. He heard what he now knew to be her sorcery, a faint rushing sound in his head. _Look after her._ A faint voice said in his head.

_What?_ he asked it. But it had gone. He felt his feet lift from the ground and he closed his eyes.

*

**A/N :**

There you go! Pleased now are we? I hope so. That was the last chapter I had fully written before I started posting properly, so it may take me about another month to update again. Hope you can all wait :)

I originally wrote this to be set in 5th year, before OotP came out. I've now changed that to 6th year [as can be seen with Aurora seeing S. die and all]

I'm looking for 100 reviews till I post chapter twelve. 

People : 

**DLSnapeKurama18 **: That was the point of the whole mouse thing. Think he was scared. I was going to make it a ferret to start with, but she wouldn't make him into a ferret again as she knows how sensitive he is about it!

**Arduriel**** Celebel Arangua :** Did you leave a review on chapter ten, because if you didn't you don't get a note. So there. I have my faerie wings now, yay! My mate Emzie and I scared townies by wearing them hee hee! Tom is better than Travis. I dreamt about The Darkness. Well, mostly Justin and I getting chased by Geoffrey Rush. But that's a different story. 

**Lupu** : Of course I mentioned you. Thanks for YOUR CD to me, I am loving it. It was out this week! Though Britney 'I got married for publicity' Spears is going to be no. 1. Cow. Glad you're loving the story.

**Meeny** : Why wouldn't I read your reviews? You should write, go for it!

**Rje**: I've mentioned you already, but hey! Yeah it does get confusing.

**Glitzy** : Boogling has ceased to the White Stripes. It is now to Blink-182 thanks to Lucy. Did you update? 

**Catherine** : I'm going for 100 reviews until I post chapter twelve. So get Sarah and Hamid to review. Please? Wasn't the William Webb Ellis trophy amazing? I love James Sumpter, he's so gay! Woo!

**Katie Bloom :** There you go. Just don't mention the French. Oooh she's mad now. Dammit.

**Piratic**** Elegant Gothic Lolita :** Love da name man. Wikid. Dis is a kl way 2 speak innit? I don't really give a **** dat u don't understand ne of me otha fic [one presumes that is what one was talking about?] Neway, more of urs is due rite?

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye** : Sorry that you're last, but you reviewed first and I go down in order! Anyway . . . thank you! Go you for updating so regularly. I can't at the mo!

**I LOVE BO'D BUT DAMN THE IRISH!**


	12. The Prophet Said

**A/N :**

New chapter, a lot earlier than expected! After me saying I'd only update after 100 reviews, it seems me@me.me wanted to put 4 up to get me to that total.

Disclaimer : Me own Aurora/Rora/Rors, Mara, Lana, Serena and any other people you don't recognise. JK / WB own everything else.

Dedication : Hm. Meeny rocks methinks this time as she has not had one dedicated to her yet. Love you Meeny!

So yeah, here it is . . . 

*

No, wait, one point. After some people said it was quite difficult knowing when in _italics_ on person stopped thinking and another person started, I have decided to start putting 's at the start of each person's thoughts. Hope that makes it easier to understand. Now . . . onwards!

*

_Angels, they fell first but I'm still here – alone as they are drawing near – in Heaven my masterpiece will finally be sung . . . _

*

Draco woke up the next morning to find Aurora had somehow left a note beside his bed. It simple said _"Seventh floor, 10am. I've got your Tome, took it earlier. Love Aurora xxx."_

He did as he was told, as usual. At ten o'clock he stood at the end of the corridor on the seventh floor. Aurora was nowhere in sight.

_ OK. Now walk along the corridor._ she said into his mind.

_ Morning to you too._

_ Sh. Just walk._

_ OK, OK._ he sighed, starting to walk. _I feel a bit foolish._

_ Good. Now . . . stop._

_ Here?_

_ Yes._

_ But . . . _He stopped as a door opened in front of his eyes, a door that had not been there before. A hand grabbed him from around the corner of the door and pulled him inside roughly, before slamming the door behind him.

"Hi," said Aurora.

"Morning."

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"You had a lot of stuff literally downloaded into your brain like a computer. Its only natural you'd be tired."

"Computer?"

"Muggle invention. Quite good. Has this thing called the internet where you can get just about any information you want to."

They seemed to be in a large room. There were two comfy chairs in the centre with a table in between them, a pile of cushions on the floor and shelves upon shelves of books around the walls, none of which Draco recognized.

"Muggle books. Some of them are quite good too."

"You seem to have nothing but praise for muggles."

"They have their good and bad points. They are doing quite well at the moment, with lots of new inventions."

Draco just raised one eyebrow at her. 

"Now," she continued quickly. "I've been reading your Tome, and I can see some major ways in which it differs from mine."

"What exactly is it?"

"Come and sit down and I'll tell you." They moved over to the two chairs and sat down opposite each other. Aurora tapped the table once and the two Tomes appeared, both of them wrapped in heavy dark fabric. Aurora unwrapped them, and Draco now saw that his was a dark leafy green whereas Aurora's was sooty black.

"We keep them in this fabric as protection. They cannot be detected when in the fabric as there is a special metal inlaid into it. Now what are they? That is a difficult question as each differs from the other in subtle ways. Mine, for example, contains an account of the making of the Purpose-That-Guides-Us-All, an account of the first Event, a copy of all of the prophecies ever made by a sorcerer Seer, family histories, a list of all members of Morion throughout the world, plus accounts of all of the Events that have ever happened. Yours contains some of that, but not all."

"Do you write in it then? You prophesize."

"Only things that are really important. Things like links to Events."

"Events?"

"An Event is a meeting between the Child of the Light and a Child of the Dark. At the moment that means Mara and me."

"But you meet Mara every day!"

"Yes, that is true. But an Event is . . . it is difficult to explain. Just accept it."

"OK."

Aurora touched her Tome lightly and it snapped open to the first page. "Do the same," she said. Draco did as she asked, and his opened to the same page with the same handwriting.

"The start was written by Addie. Then the first Child of the Dark, Morion, wrote down his 'visions'. This is how we got our name. He was the High Priest of the God and Goddess at the time when he first met my friend Addie. His wife, Rana, was the High Priestess of the God and Goddess. She became the first Child of the Light. Would you like to read?"

"I'd rather not."

"It might be better if I do. You may understand it more. So," she picked up her Tome and rested it on her knees, "we begin.

_"There came a time when the world was in great peril. The world-makers had all but deserted their people, and the Purpose-That-Guides-Us-All had been divided as the world-makers fought with The Creator. The world-makers finally deserted their people and they went to the furthest star to make new worlds and populate them with more devote people. The High Priest and Priestess of the world-makers were distraught, for there was no one now to protect the world from disease and drought._

_Soon after the world-makers had deserted their people, there was a great flood. The people of the world all sought refuge on the highest mountain in the known world at the time, a mountain called Ra. Before long a great Light was seen in the west, and a great dark Shadow was seen in the east. These rapidly approached the mountain, until they reached the summit, and settled down in front of the people who had gathered to see._

_From the clouds two figures appeared. They seemed to be neither male nor female, and had strangely coloured eyes, the one from the Light with violet coloured eyes and the one from the Dark with amber coloured eyes. The Light approached the High Priestess, and the Dark approached the High Priest. They held out their arms, and took the Priest and Priestess into them, almost devouring them. Then they disappeared. The people were shocked, but they knew that their representatives to the God and Goddess must know what they were doing, so they did not question the matter, and went about their ways as usual._

_Exactly ten years later the Light and Dark Shadows reappeared. By this time the flood waters had receded, and the people were once again living back on the land. The High Priest and Priestess appeared from the Shadows, and once again went to live amongst the people, who did not question them as to where they had been."_

Aurora stopped reading.

"Don't stop!" 

"Did you understand all of that?"

"Well, no . . ."

"Well then. Would you like me to explain?"

"Yes."

"Say the magic word."

"Crucio?"

"_Not_ funny Draco."

"I thought it was personally."

"You would. Anyway, the world-makers were the people we now know as the God and Goddess. Some people believe different people created the world, like a single God, or science, but this is how we see it. The Purpose-That-Guides-Us-All was spilt into two parts – the Light and the Dark. These can take any shape or form, but had to gain hosts to become more powerful. Thus they took the High Priest and High Priestess. The Creator was the creator of the universe surprisingly."

"Right. I understand."

"Sure?"

"Yes. Please continue."

_"Thus begins the Tome of Morion, first Child of the Dark. In it is contained the important Prophecies made by Morion._

_I Saw a girl. She looked to be no more than seventeen summers old. Her hair was dark, and she looked remarkably like my own daughter, except for the fact that this girl has a white lock of hair at her left brow. She seemed calm in the face of almost certain peril._

_Behind her stand three figures. Two seem about the same age as the girl, one much older. The first boy has short blonde hair, the second longer dark hair, and I can feel their emotions for the girl are strong. The man has long ragged hair, and seems like a fugitive on the run. His emotions for the girl are deep too, but his love is different. Above his shoulder flies a white snowy owl._

_I know that I have just seen the Dark Side for the Final Battle. Who they face, I do not know. But the peril is great."_

Aurora stopped reading once more. "Understand?"

"That's me isn't it?"

"Yes. We now believe so."

"Who is the other boy? And the fugitive?"

"The other boy we believe to be Will, as his feelings are still deep for me. The fugitive is almost definitely my father."

"I thought you didn't know where he was."

"I don't. Yet. I need to go and press Mara for more information."

"You're going to leave me?"

"I'm sure you can read for yourself, Draco."

"But you read so well!"

"Thank you. But I need to see if Mara went to her Council Meeting last night, and if she did what she found out. They will probably have tried to block her mind from mine again, though, so that could take some time."

"Rora?"

"Yes?"

"Why won't you let me read Potter's mind?"

"That's a bit of an odd question to ask _now_ Draco."

"But why?"

"There are things even _he_ does not about in his mind. I cannot let you read it because you are a risk."

"Risk?"

"Your family? Are you deaf, dumb and blind?" [A/N : Nothing against deaf, dumb and blind people. I LOVE YOU ALL!]

"My father?"

"At last! You really are smarter than you look."

"Hey!"

"Sorry. You want to do more now? Or later?"

"Don't care," Draco shrugged.

"Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"All . . . not caringish."

"I really don't care."

Aurora sighed heavily. "What is up with you?"

"What?"

"You've been moody for a while now. Was it the Council Meeting?"

"I haven't been moody!"

"Yes you have. Angry too."

"I have not!"

"And argumentative."

"I have not!"

"You see my point?"

"I give up!"

"Good. Go back to the common room or somewhere, and read. That is, if you want me to live . . ."

With that Aurora stood up, clutching her Tome, and left, leaving Draco bewildered. 

"Girls," he sighed.

*

Aurora marched out into the grounds of Hogwarts, where she could sense Mara sitting near Hagrid's Hut.

"Hermione," she nodded cordially. "Mara. Need to pick your brains. Literally." She started to probe gently, looking for last night's Council Meeting thoughts. They were not too hard to find, and strangely there were no blocks in the way. When she had found them she touched Mara lightly on her temple, downloading all of the meeting into her own brain.

"What did you do?"

"That would be for me to know, and you to find out."

"Not the meeting!"

"Yes, the meeting."

"But . . . you . . . can't!"

"Can and will." 

Aurora moved over and sat with her back against a tree. She began to pick through the images, as seen through Mara's eyes, finally stopping when her mother was about to give a talk.

*

_Serena looked lovely as usual. She was 40 years old, as she had been 24 when Aurora was born. She was wearing blue, which was both her and her daughter's favourite colour. Her hair was tawny, touched with grey at the temples. To her right sat Lana, and to her left, her husband, Jon. "Aiya ilya!" she greeted them. "I have something extremely important to tell you, and it must pass no one's lips from here. The High Council have held this secret in their hearts for almost seventeen years now, and we feel now that it is the time to tell you. Behold!"_

_Mara's eyes saw a large screen appear, an image projected on to it. A man, scruffy, was sitting in a cave, apparently asleep. Not the normal kind of sleep. She did not know who the man was. _

_"Yes. We have the one thing the enemy want most, my 'wonderful' ex-husband, alive and well, all of this time since he betrayed us. He has been kept in a cave, bound from using his power, mostly asleep. We have kept a good secret, and we feel we shall be able to use this against them, as a sort of weapon."_

Is that who it is? Mara thought.

Yes. thought Lana back to her.

I've never met him.

You have. But you were only a month old when he betrayed us, so you won't remember.

OK.

_"We shall have a half hour break so you can talk about this, and ask us questions afterwards. Thank you," finished Serena._

*

Aurora came out of Mara's thoughts. "Ada?" she whispered, and then blacked out.

*

**A/N :**

Yup, one more chapter down, lots to go [as yet unwritten up to Christmas, then the action starts to happen! Christmas is only in rough – I mostly write it in Physics or German!]

People :

**Katie Bloom :** Yes, thanks for your help! Please try and get Hamid to review – I like to know what people think!

**me@me.me** : OK, I have no idea who you are, but I'm presuming I know you! I know, its amazing isn't it?

**poopoo@poo.poo** : Diddums! Bo indeed.

**DLSnapeKurama18 ** : Snape and Hermione eh? Cool! If you want me to proof read I will do!

**Catherine** : BO'D? BO'D? DID I HEAR YOU MENTION BO'D? I LOVE HIM! Yes, I would like a glowing comment in my homework diary – will you give me one?

**Lucy (the person) :** Dudetta are you like real? I thought I made you up! Will misses Rora silly poo. Changed the name now though! It was you wasn't it? me@me.me is you??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

**Claire **: Thanks, glad you like it! His softer side hm? Just you wait!

**Rje** : There is always stuff to be explained. There will be till the end. Keep pestering, its good!

**Glitzy** : You updated! If it was a bit short, it was good! The Smiths are good to boogle to – but I have that damn Cha Cha Slide in my head! And its number 1! Pft.

**A-G-S** : Aw, poor Will. He's lovely really, and of course he sees through Mara. Lets just say he'll be there when Rora needs him most [See the above A/N for more – Chr-!] Can't remember if I reviewed chapter 16 – sorry if I didn't – remind me and I will – I was in a bit of a rush!

**Meeny**** Rocks :** Yes, I dedicate a chapter to you! I get what you were saying now. WRITE DAMMIT. And get people to review and scare me – its funny. Jess could scare anyone!

**Addie** : Don't think you've reviewed this chapter – but what the hell! Hi, and happy holidays. My Mum says your Mum is teaching you to iron. Mwhahahahahahahaha! You'll have to do what I've been doing for 4 years now!


	13. Leave Me To Bleed

**A/N :**  
  
          Hello all! I've not had the time recently to update, and once again I'm sorry for that. Lots of c/w. STUPID SCHOOL!!!!!!  
  
          Disclaimer: I own Aurora, Mara will etc. JK/WB own everything else.  
  
          Dedication: erm..... Skankers [who finally read most of it] and Darly [who typed this up for me] ~ cheers me dears!  
  
Anyway . . . onwards and upwards . . .  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aurora sat suddenly upright, her eyes wide; her lips forming a word, which she quickly stopped her throat from saying. She coughed slightly, before placing a hand on the top of her head, feeling a small lump there from where she had bumped her head.  
"Banged my head on...?" 

"Miss Polgana?" 

"Hm?" She glanced to the right of the bed, where a man was sitting in the chair next to the bed. "Sorry Professor. I was just wondering how I got here." 

"You cannot remember?" asked Dumbledore, for that was who it was. 

"No Sir" 

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "You hurt your head because you bumped it on a tree root outside." 

"I did?" 

"Indeed. Miss Selde has told us that you... saw something disturbing in her mind. What she would not say, but that is private and between the two of you, for you to sort out. We just hope you get better soon." 

"What day is it?" 

"Thursday afternoon. It is about five o'clock I believe." 

"I have been in here for four days?" 

"Yes," 

"Then..." Aurora gripped her head as it began to throb. Suppressed memories began to flow back. "Bloody..." She slapped herself on the wrist. "Sorry Professor," she apologised. "Its just now I remember and..." 

"It scares you?" 

"Slightly." 

Dumbledore smiled at her again. "Miss Selde has been in here about five times a day to ask how you were. She, for some reason, seems to think it is all her fault you are I here. But, going back to what I said earlier, I believe that to be for the two of you to sort out." 

"What about Draco?" "Master Malfoy has also been here to ask after you." "Good. When will I be able to leave?" 

"Madam Pomfrey wishes to ask you some questions, so tomorrow morning in time for lessons would probably be best." 

"Thank you." 

"Now I shall leave you to answer Poppy's questions alone." 

"Thank you again sir." 

"There are some get well presents on the other side of your bed I believe. Goodbye." 

"Bye." Aurora settled down, lying back onto her pillows. Madam Pomfrey bustled over from where she had been standing in the corner, listening to the two converse. She asked Aurora some questions, mainly about her life. When Aurora admitted to getting severe migraines often, she prescribed a potion for when they got too extreme. Aurora knew these were caused by Addie, and the potion would not work, but she accepted it without fuss to try and get session over with quickly. After about half an hour of questioning, she yawned exaggeratingly, and Madam Pomfrey left her, so Aurora could sleep. Madam Pomfrey reinforced a point she had mentioned earlier, before she left, that Aurora needed more rest, and that she was working too hard, but Aurora took no notice. She couldn't sleep now.  
There was a parcel beside her bed, along with an assortment of sweets and biscuits. She ignored these and picked the parcel up. It was a large box wrapped in crimson silk and bound with silver ribbon. She unwrapped it, almost gingerly, as though she was scared of what she might find. Under the silk there was a note which read: 

_"Dear Aurora. I have sent you these as a sort of get well present. I know full well that you have seen what I told at the council meeting on Saturday night, but you must know this. You have no hope of finding him. He is being kept in a secure location so none of your lot can ever find him. Don't even bother trying, or pressing Mara for more information, because she will never know. Hope you like what I have sent; as they are rightfully yours anyway I thought you might want them. Love Amme x"_

Aurora was quite shocked at the fact her mother had actually written to her, and sent her some sort of present. She studied the box for a moment before reading the letter again.  
"Rightfully mine..." she said to herself. The box was covered in black silk too, and had a small pentacle shape set in silver in the top of it. She was sure she recognised it from somewhere, but she could not place it in her mind. She lifted the lid off carefully.  
Inside were several more small packages, all wrapped in crimson silk and bound by the same black and silver ribbons. She picked the first package up, it was a sort of pouch, and she opened the draw-string. Inside were several dark seeds.  
"Bloody hell," she muttered. "She must be out of her mind to give me these. Rose seeds." Aurora knew, however, that they were not normal rose seeds, but one's that her mother had specially cultivated to bloom into all different colours of the rainbow, like they did in the special field by Aurora's old home. She and Eldara had loved those roses, and had spent hours gazing at their different shades of colours.  
Aurora picked up the next parcel, and was about to open it when she heard footsteps coming, from down the corridor. She quickly shoved the seeds, still in her palm, back into the bag and then placed everything back into the box, which she put under the low-lying bed. She lay back down and heard someone enter the room. She could tell who it was by the footsteps. The figure came over to the bed and dropped a note on the chair next to it, before departing quickly. Aurora didn't mean to actually sleep, but she slipped into a doze after the figure left, waking several hours later to Madam Pomfrey's voice saying her name, and something about food.  
"Mm?" Aurora mumbled. "Food?"  
"Yes. There has been some sent up from the kitchens for you." Madam Pomfrey placed a tray on a small table beside her bed. "You must eat to keep your strength up."  
"Can I go back into normal school tomorrow?"  
"I'm not sure that it would be advisable. Perhaps one more day in here would do you some good."  
"But I've missed so much already!" protested Aurora.  
"The headmaster has said that tomorrow can be a rest and catch up day. Back to normal school on Monday."  
"But..."  
"Miss Polgana I ...." Aurora lurched upright as a sharp pain jolted through her head. She closed her eyes, and images flashed before them. Her father, alive and well. Her mother, crying over a body. Draco, smiling, running through a field. She jolted back out of the vision.  
"Miss Polgana?" Madam Pomfrey was standing over her, a worried expression on her face. "Are you alright?"  
"Fine." Whispered Aurora  
"No you're not fine," said a voice.  
"Why now?"  
"I have to tell you something," came the voice again. 

Aurora sighed. "Go on then." She glanced at Madam Pomfrey, who looked slightly shocked at the sudden appearance of this figure, shrouded in black mist, amber eyes prominent in her pale face, white hair flying.  
"I have to leave you." The voice whispered  
"Hm?"  
"I have to leave you," Addie repeated. "I have to go . . .somewhere."  
"Fine." Aurora replied, her voice as expressionless as her face, at seeing Addie.  
"Your visions may stop," Addie pressed on.  
"OK."  
"You might die." Addie continued, trying to understand why Aurora didn't seem to care.  
"Alright."  
"Did you hear what I just said?"  
"Yes."  
"I'll go then."  
"Sure. See you soon." Addie just looked perplexed, then shimmered and disappeared.  
"What . . ." started Madam Pomfrey. Aurora flicked her fingers, and Madam Pomfrey's face went blank for a second, her eyes empty. Then she smiled. "You may go tomorrow morning Miss Polgana, but you must remain in your bedroom or the common room except for meals. If anyone finds you wondering around, the punishment shall be severe as you still need to rest. Now sleep."  
"Thank you."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

**A/N :**  
  
          No thanks this time because Darly's typed this up for me. Chapter 14 I'll do double thanks to all!  
  
          Now please review!  
  
          Ok this is a note from Darly, to apologise for it taking all ½ term to get this up, only have been really busy, plus trying to work out how to get it to download onto fanfiction almost killed me. Sorry again.

This is me back again. I've noticed some mistakes in the chappie so I've corrected them now. Yes, it is a slight filler chapter. But the bit with Addie is quite important!


	14. Money Money Money

**A/N :**

Hey all!

It's been less than a month since I put the last chapter up, but already another one's going up! I'm so proud of myself!

This one is dedicated to Rhian really randomly. I don't own anything that you recognise from Harry Potter.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

Aurora woke up the next morning as Madam Pomfrey placed a tray with her breakfast on it next to her bed. It was quite late, she could tell, as the beautiful, cold winter sun streamed in through the south-facing windows. She glanced at the clock on the ceiling above her head to see that it said eleven o'clock.

"Already?" she mumbled to herself.

"Pardon?" Madam Pomfrey was on her way out of the room, but stopped when Aurora spoke.

"Nothing."

"Good. The headmaster has said that you may rest in your room until the last two lessons, which you may go to. I believe that they are double potions with Professor Snape, who will not work you too hard as you are still quite weak."

"But you said. . ."

"He thinks you should just do two lessons today to lower yourself back in slowly."

"Alright." Aurora did not want to face anyone yet, but she reluctantly gave in, as she knew that the matter was already decided for her. "When may I leave?" she asked.

"When you have eaten and when you are ready I shall check you over one last time to see that you can leave." Madam Pomfrey left then, and Aurora ate quickly, then changed into her clothes, which had been placed at the end of the bed. She got a potion from Madam Pomfrey to help stop her headaches, and then she was finally allowed to leave.

Walking down the empty corridors, with the box from her mother under her arm, she felt as free as a bird. After shunning off the idea to just fly out of one of the windows, she glanced at the letters that she held in her hand. The top one was from the figure that had slipped into her room yesterday. The writing identified who it was, if she had not already known, as it was tall and spindly. She would not open it yet. The Common Room was empty too. Aurora climbed the stairs to her room slowly as her head was already reeling, the walls beginning to spin, and it was throbbing painfully. She flopped, face down, onto her bed, only realising now that the reason her head was hurting so badly, and the reason she was ill at all, was the fact that Addie had left her.

"Deserted me more like," she muttered, burying her head even further into the pillow. She slept for nearly an hour before waking once more with a jolt. She rolled over and sat up slowly. Her head still throbbed slightly, but with none of the power that it had earlier. 

She picked up the parcel from her mother, seeing that she still had four things left to open. The pouch containing the rose seeds she placed on her windowsill, before carefully unwrapping the next present. The small box was about three centimetres square, and the silk was smooth under her touch. It had a small silver pentacle on the top, and Aurora recognised it as the box that her mother usually kept her earrings in. She lifted the lid carefully, and it snapped open to reveal another seed. This one had started to grow, a small green shoot emerging from one end. Just by looking at it Aurora could tell that it was a willow seed, probably one from her Tree in the field full of flowers. The Tree had been christened 'Aurora's Tree' when she had been born, and Eldara had had one too, a birch at they other end of the field. Their Trees were places where they could sit and watch things far away, or talk to the birds that flocked there. They had each loved their Trees. Aurora did not know if Mara and Will had had Trees too, but she presumed that they had, as almost every sorcerer child had one somewhere, even if they themselves did not know about it. It was a way of introducing the children to nature so She could help them rule their lives wisely. Aurora placed the seed back into the box, as she had no idea where she was going to plant it.

Picking up the next parcel, she knew what it was straight away. The pouch was quite large and she could see bumps on its surface, and feel the power of the semi-precious and precious stones before she even opened it. She just glanced at the collection of stones, including amber, amethyst, lapis lazuli, tiger-eye and sapphire, before picking up the next parcel.

This one was rectangular in shape, and she could feel that somehow it was dangerous, and that her mother had wrapped it up quite carefully. She took off the lid almost gingerly, and then laughed. "A spoon?!" For that is what lay inside the box, a small teaspoon with a wooden handle and a metal spoon. She turned it over and over in her hand, before noticing a tiny catch where the metal joined the wood, which she flicked. The wood sprang off to reveal a long, pointed knife, which fitted into the wood perfectly. She tucked this into her boots, which were sitting by the bed, for later use. 

The last one seemed the most precious, as it had a large number of charms on it to protect it from falling into dangerous hands. It was a box, and there was a fingerprint scanner on the lock, which she worked out her ring fitted perfectly into.  The lid snapped open, and Aurora could not believe her eyes.  In the box was money, and lots of it, including muggle English pounds and wizarding galleons, sickles and knuts.  On top of the money was a small note, once again from her mother:

I realised that this year you had to pay for all your school books, robes, cauldron etc, so here is some money to pay you back.  Also here is twelve months allowance, plus some extra.  All in all this totals approximately three thousands pounds [£3000].  I took the liberty of changing some of it into wizarding money for you.  I hope this is alright. 

Under the first note there was a second, saying that Serena gave permission for aurora to visit Hogsmeade.

"At last!"  She had not given Amy's note in, as she believed that they would not accept it.  Then the realisation sank in.  "£3000?!"  She counted the money quickly.  There was £2500 in muggle money plus the rest in wizarding money.  "Wow," she breathed, unbelievingly.

Aurora placed the money back in the box and slid the larger box under her bed.  She glanced at the clock on her wall to see that it said nearly quarter to two.  She got changed quickly, slung her bag over her shoulder, checked her room and locked it.  Walking down the stairs, she noticed several people in their rooms she recognised.  Some stopped and said hello, but she neither replied nor stopped, she just nodded and kept her fast pace.  

On reaching the potions classroom, she stopped suddenly.  She was the first there, so she sat on the floor and opened her bag to take out the letter.  She ripped it open and read it slowly, taking in every word.  She did not even notice when two shadows fell across her.

"Hello?" One of them said.  "Hello?  Aurora?  Anyone there?"  Two hands waved in front of her eyes.

"Hm?"  Aurora snapped her gaze from the letter and up to two sets of eyes: one bright green, the other dark brown.  She glanced up to the forehead of the person with green eyes, as if to confirm his identity.

"Are you alright, Aurora?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered.

"What… happened?" asked the other set of eyes, belonging to Hermione.  "I mean, I was there but…"

"I'm not really sure.  All I can remember is taking something from Mara's mind.  What… I don't know."

"Miss Polgana?"  Professor Snape was standing behind Hermione and Harry.  "Back at last."

"Yes sir."

"You have some work to catch up on."  He shooed Harry and Hermione to one side with his hands.  "If you stay after class I shall tell you about it."  Turning back to the class, he told them to go inside.

 Aurora tried to get up from the floor but she felt dizzy and her head was throbbing once more.  She rested her head on her chest and was about to give up when a pale hand took hers and pulled her to her feet.  She glanced into his eyes, cold and grey.

"Why were you being nice to the mudblood?"  he asked.

"I was being neither nice nor horrible.  I was simply being polite.  They asked me how I was, so I replied."

"But you talked to them!  Especially him.  You know how I feel about the whole lot of them."

"The I shall speak to no one but you and the teachers."

"Good." He kissed her on the cheek and still holding her hand, he led her into class, closely followed by his two cronies; Crabbe and Goyle. 

They sat down next to each other and held hands under the table.  Snape was midway through talking, but did not stop or seem to care that they were late.  They talked in thoughts for most of the lesson, mindless chat whilst preparing some sort of useless potion they would never need again, one to make card.  Near the end of the lesson, once the potion and card had been made, Aurora felt things hitting her back.  She turned to see Pansy flicking pieces of newly made pink card at her back.  She gave Pansy a nasty and withering look and continued working.  When the lesson finally ended, she picked up the card and was about to throw it away when she noticed writing on it.  Three letters.  Ada.

"Ada?" she whispered, staring at the piece of paper in disbelief.  Her head was still reeling for the potion had not worked, and now her mind was reeling too.  A sudden and stronger pain ripped through her head.  This pain felt different from the ones she had experienced before, either through her visions or just general migraines.  It was a flashback. 

She saw herself marching down to where Mara and Hermione were sitting and practically ripping the thoughts form her mind.  Then she saw the thoughts she had taken from Mara's mind, finally seeing herself blacking out before hitting her head, then being taken up to school, kicking and screaming, screaming "Ada!" like a mad person all the way.

"Ada?" she whispered once more.

"Miss Polgana?"  A clouded voice spoke to her from outside her flashback.  "Aurora?!" Another different voice.  "Ara?" A third.

She could feel herself falling and then being caught by more than one pair of hands.  What was happening to her?

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

**People who reviewed chapter 12 :**

**Sammy** : Hey! I haven't heard from you in a while. I do that sometimes ~ write a word that's wrong. I don't have a beta though, so I check it myself and don't always pick it up! Keep reading!

**DLSnapeKurama18 :** You didn't have to wait long!

**Darly :**Hey babe! Don't really have much to say to you :p

**Lupu**** :**I don't really care that you flick, I do it all of the time!

**Lula :** Are you Lucy P? I'm presuming so. Hi!

**Rje**** :** I think you've read this chapter [14] already, but n/m. I've changed some stuff though!

**Addie :** Safe man innit? Totally mint. God Addie, you iz so ring a ding ding!

**Claire :**Nearly at Christmas now. . . Well, I am in my rough copies . . .

**Meeny Rocks :** I think they're starting to get sick of each other, so the romance has gone for a bit. I hate writing soppy stuff anyways.

**Catherine :**I LOVE BO'D! You did wear your Irish shirt if I remember rightly.

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye**** :** I'm still with you all of the way mate. I was just joking when I said that I was gonna stop reviewing! Will rocks. We will be seeing much more of him soon . . . The whole three-way triangle with Will, Aurora and Draco will come to a head soon. Who will she choose? Even I do not know!

**Glitzy :**I dunno if everyone else knows who he is. But in Old Tongue, 'ada' means 'father'. There you go. Now you should know who he is.

**People who reviewed chapter 13 :**

**Lupu**** :**Are you talking about in the story? She doesn't like her because she thinks that Addie did something bad to something that she loved that she can't quite place her finger on. What we shall see later . . . 

**Piratic**** . . . oh heck, its Hannah to me! :** Its such a funny pic of your bro!

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye**** :** It was a sort of filler, but it was written in haste. Glitzy said so. Of course I'll keep writing . . . eventually!

**DLSnapeKurama18 :** Here it is!

**Rje**** :** You should have some idea where its going surely?

**Glitzy :**It was a bit of a filler, but as I said to Arwen, it was written in haste. Hope you enjoyed this one more. *Boogles slowly to Evanescence*

**Doughnut :** Addie is the Spirit of the Dark. She is like one of the two most important things in the Universe that were made when a star exploded when it shouldn't have. She [well it, as it is neither male nor female] needs a host to survive properly until the day of the Final Battle, in which one of the Spirits will be destroyed forever, and the other will prevail. That's a basic definition. I wasn't sure who you were at first, no!

Go check out my website! The link is from my profile on here!


	15. Hello Again

**A/N** :

Hey all!

This is going up this weekend coz I probably won't get round to it next weekend. And coz Rhian [one of the most annoying people in the world Love you too Rhi!] keeps pestering. And coz I've written loads in the last few weeks and am finally three chapters ahead of myself for the first time in ages.

**Number 40 ! Number 40 ! Number 40 ! He rocks ! And he came 40th in the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time ! Whoo !14 days to go . . . **

Dedication : People keep asking me for them and I keep forgetting to give them. I promised someone this one and I can't remember who . . . Erm. So yeah. How about all of you lot? All of my friends and dedicated reviewers and typers. That does include Skankers for once. And Genevra. You'll have to guess who she is though. My Bonnie lies over the ocean . . . [subtle hint there!]

Here we go . . .

* * *

Here I stand alone with this weight upon my heart and it will not go away. In my head I keep on looking back, right back to the start, wondering what it was that made you change. I tried but I had to draw the line. Still this question keeps spinning in my mind . . .

What if I had never let you go?Would you be the person I used to know? If I'd stayed, if you tried, if we could only turn back time. Well, I guess we'll never know . . .

* * *

_Pictures flashed before her eyes. Images of times buried deep in memory. Times that would have been better forgotten, but were now found and seen. The seer would rather block the memories, set barriers against them, but they had to be seen. Small children, three in all, running through ripened wheat fields to a shallow blue stream, small silver fish swimming its course, with weeping willow trees drooping over it. One child, the only boy, long dark hair flying, launches a small fishing rod into the water, and laughs with delight as he catches one of the small fish. Two girls, one dark, one fair, run to a small bridge, collecting bits of wood to play pooh sticks. The boy turns, a small smile on his face, his eyes dark. The two girls look up from their game, the same looks on their faces. Evil, dark looks. Everything goes black._

Aurora sat up in bed, a scream forming in her throat. A cool hand placed itself on her forehead, pushing her back down to lie flat, and a soothing voice calmed her. She looked up into the golden eyes that she had not seen for a long time. Everything still seemed so far away.

"What's . . ."

"Hush. Don't try to speak."

"But . . ."

"Hush selde." A cup came to Aurora's mouth, and she drank thirstily. The potion was bitter and herby, and she soon drifted back into sleep, this time dreamless. She kept waking, only to be fed more potions from the lady with golden eyes. Cold compresses were pressed to her burning forehead, salves to her arms and legs. She felt no concept of time – days, hours, minutes or seconds could have passed without her knowing it.

Finally she woke to find everything seemingly normal. She was in her bed at Hogwarts, though somehow she knew she had been moved many times throughout her fever. Bright sun streamed through the open windows, a cold breeze whipped through the room. She moved her hand slowly up to her forehead, which was cool, but fire-like pain ripped through her muscles and joints. The bright sunlight hurt her eyes, spots forming before them, almost as if they had not been used for a long time. A shadow fell over her and she knew who it was before the woman started to speak. Her fragrance gave her away, warm and flowery.

"Good day selde. Back with us at last I see." Golden eyes smiled into Aurora's deep blue ones.

"What . . . happened . . . ?" stammered Aurora.

"A suitable question to start with. The answer is, my dear, that we quite simply do not know. Being the Child of the Dark and carrying the Spirit should make you virtually immune to all illnesses. Those you do get should be healed quickly. Your fever has raged for nearly three weeks."

"What date . . ."

"It is Sunday the 6th of December. Approximately one o'clock pm I believe."

"That potions lesson I had was back on Friday the . . ." Aurora did a quick calculation in her head, then laughed weakly. "Friday the 13th."

"Correct. You have been ill for twenty three days." The woman sat on the bed, her brown dress swishing as she walked. She stroked Aurora's dark hair lovingly. "Why did she not help you selde?"

"Can you feel her presence Amme? She has gone. Deserted me."

"She cannot do that!"

"Can and has it would seem. She said something about me 'having to accomplish this task on my own' and then she left. I presume she has found another host and will come back to me in due course, after I have finished this 'task'. Whatever that may be."

"I hope she does selde, for all of our sakes, especially yours. In some ways you need her just to survive. Now," she said, standing. "Let me help you sit up, selde, for you have some visitors."

"I do?"

"Yes." Aurora sat up against her pillows. She still felt extremely weak, and the pain still spread through her muscles whenever she moved. Her mother, for that was who the golden-eyed lady was, brushed her long hair to make her presentable, then came and sat back down on the bed beside Aurora, bringing her a mirror, to let her see her face. She had dark circles under her eyes, which looked large in her pale face. Her dark hair framed this face, and with her pale body it made her look like a ghost.

"Now selde, you must promise me some things." Serena put the mirror to one side and took one of Aurora's pale hands in her own, which was quite tanned. "If you do not keep to these you will exhaust yourself even further, and you may get ill again. If you keep doing this you may eventually kill yourself without the Spirit's presence. You must not work so hard. We do know that Draco has a Tome, and that it is your job to teach him and help him to understand, but try to take it more slowly.

"Dumbledore has spoken to each of your subject teachers, and they have decided that you are far enough ahead to only have three lessons a day until the Yuletide holidays. You may choose which three you attend, and if you start to feel too bad you my rest until you feel well enough to return to lessons. You will only get a little bit of extra work; I mean homework, until the holidays unless you wish to do some extra.

"I shall be staying here just to keep an eye on you for another week. I have talked to Lana, and she still does not wish for you to return home after what you did to her. I believe a place for you to stay has been arranged, however, therefore you must talk to the person whom you are live with.

"Now finally about Benjamin. However much you and the rest of Morion search, you shall never be able to find him. I believe they have about twenty people searching for him right now, and none of them have even come remotely close, except my dear old friend Olivia, who got about fifty or so miles away, before turning on wing and going in totally the opposite direction. They shall never find your Ada. We shall make sure of it." Serena rose and moved to the door. Aurora had not even had the chance to fit one word into her mother's long speech, for every time she had as much as opened her mouth, whether it was to yawn or to actually speak, her mother had held up her hand for silence.

"Visitor number one. I shall leave the two of you alone." She opened the door, and Aurora could see a weary-looking Draco sitting outside her door, his head in his hands, pale blond hair a mess. "Naevaer selde."

Draco nearly flew to her bedside. He sat next to her on the bed and kissed her forehead gently, holding her hands, now nearly as pale as his own.

"Tell me seriously, Draco, how do I look?"

"Like death warmed up," he answered with one of her favourite phrases, a small smile on his face.

"Thank you!"

"You asked me to be honest! You are much paler than usual."

"Paler than you?"

"Maybe."

A silence fell between them. There was so much both of them wanted to say, but neither of them wanted to speak first. They just sat patiently, watching each other.

"Yes," whispered Aurora suddenly after about ten minutes of silence.

"What?"

"Yes. What you asked in the letter you sent me. Yes."

"Really?"

"Well my mother would like to have me back at home, but Lana is scared that I will do something to her again, so she refused to let me stay. So yes, I would love to come and stay with you during the holidays."

"I'm a bit confused about you and your mother. Did you live in the same house, but not see each other for two years?"

"Yes. I glimpsed her a few times, but never saw her face to face. The house is so large that I could be locked in ten rooms, be self-sustaining and never see anyone for up to two weeks. This happened quite often when I was particularly angry. They would lock me in with food and leave me. Lana would come in when I had calmed down. She would let me out if she thought I was calm enough."

"What exactly did you do to her?"

"Various things. Egged the house with a few of my friends, had massive parties and smashed my part of the house, got a bit tipsy and hit her. Stuff like that. But the major thing was when I _accidentally _pushed her down the stairs. That was when both my mother and her said I had to come here."

"If it was an accident, why did they send you here?"

"Oh, Draco, you're still slightly naïve aren't you? It wasn't an accident. Addie made me do it because Lana was pregnant. She miscarried after she fell, and _that_ it why I was sent here. She lost the only chance of having a child that she will probably ever get, and it was because of me."

"Addie _made_ you do it?"

"She sometimes used to just take over me and make me do things that I did not want to do. Sort of like Riddle and Ginny Weasley in your second year here. So anyway, I'd love to stay at your house over the holidays. Say thank you to your parents, but also say that I shall make my own way to your house as I have some things to do out in the muggle world first."

"I thought that you never saw the muggle world."

"When did I say that?"

"The first day you were ever here."

"Really? OK, so I sort of lied. I have friends in the muggle world, and I used to live there, remember?"

"Yeah. Never thought about it like that."

"Witches and wizards live in their own enclosed world. We live outside, in the muggle world, to keep an eye on things that are happening out there. There is a lot of terrible stuff happening, but your people really don't care. You just ignore it, and carry on with your lives. Yes Voldemort will come, and he may well get great power and overtake the wizarding world. But to take over the muggle world he will have to work much, much harder, and battle with greater things than wizards and things that they have in the Department of Mysteries. Much, much worse things."

"What . . . ?"

"I like to get things off of my chest occasionally. If you happen to meet you father's master, just tell him, from me, or from my father via me, that it will be extremely difficult to take over the muggle world."

"What . . . ?"

"Just do it, Draco, please."

There were three sharp raps on the door, and Serena entered. Aurora could see her more clearly now, and she could not believe how much her mother had change in under two years. Her face was still rosy and beautiful, but the small creases around her eyes had deepened, making her look more the age she actually was. Her tawny hair had flecks of white in it that had not been there before. Aurora knew she had in some ways caused these signs of age, and she was slightly sorry.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there are some more people to see you here Aurora."

"Can . . ." started Draco.

"Yes, you can stay." Serena waved her hand and some chairs appeared to the other side of the bed from which Draco was sitting. "You can come in now!" se called to the open door.

Dumbledore entered the room first, dressed in deep violet robes, white hair gleaming in the sunlight. Snape followed him, black robes billowing as usual. He sat nearest to the bed, his face betraying no emotion, but his eyes showing concern about the ghost of a girl in front of him. Dumbledore's face showed outward emotion, his eyebrows knitted in worry. It was almost as if he knew the consequences that could arise if she were to get even weaker, or if she were to die. Draco sat on the bed still, comfortingly holding her hand.

Aurora could feel herself starting to get more and more tired, but she tried to keep her eyelids open whilst Dumbledore talked to her about various things that she had missed, and what was to happen about her going back into school. She was to have two more days rest, then one lesson on Wednesday, just to make sure that she was strong enough to continue, then three full lessons on Thursday. Aurora could feel her hands starting to shake; a sign of tiredness, and her mother sensed it too.

"Excuse me Dumbledore, Sir," she interrupted carefully in between two of Dumbledore's sentences. "My daughter is getting increasingly tired, and she needs rest if she is to get properly well. You may return later or tomorrow if you so wish." Serena ushered them quickly out of the room. Snape did not want to leave, as he had said less than ten words to Aurora, and she could hear him talking in low tones to her mother outside the room.

"I'd better go too," Draco spoke up for the first time since the two teachers had entered the room.

"No you. . ."

"Yes," he said firmly, kissing her on the forehead. He had done this often, almost as if he were scared of kissing her on the lips. She struggled to move, but turned his hands palm upwards, then kissed each of his fingertips and the centre of his palms tenderly.

"What was that?" he asked. "You made my hands feel strange, sort of tingly."

"It was an ancient ritual of benediction. My mother used to do that every night before I went to sleep, but now she's frightened even to touch me. Now go."

Aurora stayed awake just long enough to hear her mother talking to Draco, presumably about her, then he left and Serena came back into the room and sat down in a chair facing out of one of the windows and towards Aurora's bed. She suddenly felt a sensation like a large woolly blanket being pulled over her, and Aurora fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N** :

So there you go! Mother saves the day. Damn Addie.

**DLSnapeKurama18** : Damn you. But not in a mean way. In the way that you got a guitar. I want one. And some drums. Ah well, if my parents win the lottery . . .

**Rje** : Sooner than usual this one is. Feel like Yoda talking like this I do. The force in this one is strong . . . coughs Calm . . . I am calm . . . NO! Gotta do my German . . . Boldty is gonna kill me . . .

**Rhi** : No one can ever remember what happened in the last chapter, including myself. PLEASE don't tell everyone I'm on chapter 20 in rough. Dammit. I just told everyone didn't I?

**Addie** : 15 days to go . . . 15 days till TAF day . . . [and Leonard, don't forget him] Whoo ! Does scary Dementor impression I agree, Seether dude isstrangely attractive. Its something about long haired men. Don't know what yet though. God man I do not wanna have luck wid da Bradders man, innit? God Addie, you iz so ring-a-ding-ding! Let ESD have him.

**glitzydancingshoes** : I boogle slowly coz twas a slow song. headbangs ferociously to Lacuna Coil, the band no one has ever heard of That better?

**lupu **: I can only try.

**Luthien Goldberry [formerly known as Sammy]** : I shall one day get round to writing you an email. Soon, I hope. But till then hello! I shall also read your new fic when I have the time!

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye** : Yup, name changed. I love Will too but Draco hm. You'll have to wait and see. GO the Hogwarts God. He really is, isn't he?

**14 days to go . . . **

**Haben Sie dieses Zauberer gesehen? **


	16. Walk Alone

**Revised 22nd July 2004**

Hello all!

So proud of the fact that this is extremely early for once! 17 may also be up within a week if you all review and I can be bothered.

**Disclaimer :** I own nothing except Aurora, Serena, Lana and Mara in this chapter.

**Dedication :** All of the PoA cast as they are bloody amazing. Such a great film. I won't spoil it for those of you not lucky enough to have seen it yet [go England – we get it five days before America – whoo!] Also Jess for queuing up for two hours or however long it as with me, and getting the back seats. Go us! Also Leonard and TAF who rock my world. And also my t-shirt, as that just plain rocks! [If you wanna know about the wonderfulness of my t-shirt, ask. If not, don't!]

* * *

_Born from silence, silence full of it,  
__A perfect concert for my best friend  
__So much to live for, so much to die for,  
__If only my heart had a home_

_Sing what you can't say,  
__Forget what you can't play,  
__Hasten to drown in beautiful eyes,  
__Walk within my poetry, _

_This dying music   
M__y love letter to nobody . . . _

_# Dead Boy's Poem – Nightwish #_

* * *

Voices woke Aurora. She rolled over, and then sat up suddenly. The pain she had felt before had gone completely gone and she felt nearly normal again.

"Aurora?" The voices had stopped, and her mother spoke to her.

"I-I-Its g-gone," was all Aurora could say.

"The pain?"

"Y-yes."

"Overnight I applied a new sap onto your body, made from a newly-bred plat that Professor Sprout and I made. It has worked better than we could ever have hoped."

"What is it called?" one of the other voices that had been speaking earlier joined in the conversation. Aurora's vision was still blurred, but she could tell who that was.

"It is as yet unnamed, Hermione. We shall name it in due course."

Aurora could now sense the other presences in the room. In addition to herself and her mother, Mara and Hermione were sat to one side of the bed, near the fireplace.

"What . . .?"

"Quarter past twelve." As usual, her mother had read Aurora's thoughts and was one step ahead of her.

"Why . . .?"

Even Mara was a step ahead of her today. "Various reasons," she answered Aurora's unspoken question. "One being the fact that you need to walk and Serena cannot help you alone. I'll also have you know that we have skipped a class to help you, so you had better be grateful."

"Not 'skipped' technically," interjected Hermione. "We did ask Professor Lupin . . ."

"Now," Serena stood up from her chair and sat down on the bed next to Aurora. "Your legs should be fine, if a bit weak. We shall help you stand, and then you should be able to walk with a crutch. Now swing your legs around." Aurora did this with ease. "Mara, sit to the other side of Aurora." Mara did so, and Hermione stood in front of her at Serena's command. Aurora inspected her legs, which were very pale with a slight green tinge. "Ready?" asked Serena.

"As I'll ever be."

"After three. One . . . two . . . three . . ."

Aurora stood gingerly on her legs, which were still weak but could hold her weight. Serena handed her a wooden crutch and she took a few steps carefully guided by her mother.

"I think you can go back to class now," Serena said to the other two girls, who had sat back down.

"But . . ."

"No buts Mara. Go!" She pointed a finger at the door, and both girls said their goodbyes and left quickly. She turned back to Aurora, who had changed quickly into a simple band t-shirt and black jeans when her mother had turned around.

"What . . . How . . . Powers . . .?" Serena stuttered, speechless.

"Have just about returned," answered Aurora. "Now Amme, if you could perhaps translocate me down the stairs? I don't think I can walk that well down them yet, but I can from there _on my own_." She emphasised the last three words as she knew her mother would try to intervene with her. "I wish to go and meet Draco from his last lesson before lunch." She had also noticed that she had sipped back into more formal speech, as she usually did when her mother was around. Serena promptly did as Aurora had asked, translocating herself and her daughter into the Common Room, which was utterly empty.

"I am going to leave you now, as I have had a call to go and see Lana. I shall be at home if you need me, and you know how to reach there in an emergency. I shall also be back either tonight or tomorrow to see how you are, and maybe apply more salves if your muscles and joints start to hurt again." She kissed Aurora on the forehead, then shimmered and disappeared.

Aurora hobbled through the corridors slowly, relying heavily on her crutch for support, for her legs still stung painfully whenever she moved, but with none on the fire that they had done the day before. She wandered to just outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, where there was a bench, which she sat on, glad for the rest. She conjured up a drink and drank it thirstily.

_ Why did she want me to do this?_ she thought to herself.

_ To see if you could._ her mother's voice sounded loud and clearly in her mind.

_ Why are you in here? You should know better than to invade my mind. It's utterly private, and you know that._

_ Yes I do, I suppose. But you . . ._

_ No buts Amme. Go away, and back to Lana. What was it she wanted you for so desperately anyway?_

_ Never you mind._

_ Ooh, top secret is it?_

_ Yes. Now I have to go. They'll be coming out of class soon._

Aurora felt her mother draw out of her mind, and she settled back onto the bench, creating a cushion for herself to sit on. After about five minutes, the bell rang. The door opened and a gang of girls, lead by Pansy. She barely looked at Aurora any more, and Aurora knew Draco believed she had moved on, but Aurora knew this was not the case. Pansy was waiting for something, planning an attack on Draco, or maybe on Aurora herself.

Mara and Hermione came out next, arms linked, laughing. They stopped when they saw Aurora sitting on the bench.

"Are you alright?" asked Mara.

"Yeah, I'm fine," answered Aurora. "Well, actually," she said after a moment's thought. "My arms and legs feel like they are on fire and my head feels like it is about to explode, but other than that I'm perfectly fine on this wonderful," she glanced out of a nearby window, "not so sunny day."

"We tried to tell Serena that it was too much too early, but she overrode us as usual. She said you weren't an invalid any more, and she was very firm about it."

"Bloody typical," Aurora muttered.

_ What was that?_ Serena mused. She was once again entering Aurora's mind.

_ Go!_

_ Sorry selde, but I need to be here, just to keep an eye on you._

_ But why? I can look after myself. And if you absolutely _have_ to be here, keep an eye on me in a different way. I _don't_ want you invading my mind like this._

_ Alright._ Serena withdrew once more from her mind.

"What . . ." Mara's look was one of wonderment.

"You didn't know? Amme didn't either. My powers have . . . just about returned. I can do most things, but my language has been affected, so I can't speak Old Tongue or any of the other languages I could before. I also have had no visions. Though that could be to do with . . ." She left it hanging.

_ That will sort itself out in time._

_ Amme!_

_ Sorry. I am going now._

Aurora sighed. "Parents," she muttered in a typical teenager fashion.

"What?" asked Mara.

"Oh, nothing."

"We'll be going then."

"Bye. Speak to you soon." Aurora could tell Mara was confused about why she was being so abnormally nice to her. She got lost in her thoughts for a moment, before seeing a dark shadow fall on her. Looking up she saw Draco standing there, his arms folded across his chest.

"What?" she asked.

"You were being nice to them again."

Aurora stood up with care. "Draco, you have to understand something about me." She started to walk along the corridor. "I am, as a person, usually quite nice. Before the Spirit, that is Addie, came to me, I would probably have come here and gone straight into Gryffindor. Well, maybe not Gryffindor, but definitely not Slytherin. As it is, she makes me 'evil'. But," she sighed, "she has deserted me, so I'm back to being how I was before she came to me. Nice and, well still not normal, but . . ."

"And you're being nice to them because . . .?"

Aurora sighed again. "Never mind."

"What's happening between you and your mother?" By this time they had reached the Great Hall, and Draco had sat down.

"Hm?" Aurora sat down next to Draco.

"I mean, you said she hates you, and you haven't seen her for god knows how long, but as soon as you get the slightest bit ill she rushes straight here to help you. From what I have heard, she was at your bedside twenty-four hours a day and she didn't even leave to eat or sleep. Whenever I came she shooed me away as if I were a cat or some sort of fly."

"I'm not meant to get ill."

"Not meant to . . ."

"Addie can cure just about anything, including the most deadly diseases and things that are not even around yet. When she doesn't do that, they know that something is wrong and things need to be done to help me. They may not like me, but they do care for me still. They need to keep me alive. If I die for any reason, they will not know who is going to be the next Child of the Dark, and therefore what adversary the Child and Spirit of the Light shall face in the Final Battle. This means they cannot be as prepared as they can be, giving the Dark a greater advantage to win."

"Right."

"Did you actually understand any of that?"

"Vaguely."

"Have you been reading your Tome whilst I've been ill?"

"Yes, but It doesn't make much sense. Some of it sounds like a madman has been raving, and what has been written is his ravings."

"Probably because it is." Draco have her a questioning look, and she nodded. "Most of the people who have had the Spirit have been mad for a while, if not all of their lives. Most Seers or Prophets are completely mad."

"That would explain Trelawney then."

Aurora laughed. "True. I'm not _that_ mad am I?" She thought for a moment. "Yet," she added as they laughed.

* * *

**A/N :**

Ends a bit rubbishly, I know. And its quite short compared to my other latest chapters, but never thee mind eh?

**Meenyrocks** : WE SAW IT! WHOO! You are unbanned now right? Update woman!

**DLSnapeKurama18 :** You play bass now? I'm a percussionist i.e. drummer with no kit as I have nowhere to put it. But it still rocks!

**Rje :** I nearly died, but not quite. DAMN GERMAN ORALS! Did you read this one? I can't remember! I changed it if you have though so . . .

**Katie Bloom :** NUMBER 40! NUMBER 40! WHOO! GO LEONARD/SID/NORM/BEETHOVEN/DRACULA! WHOO! PoA bloody amazing – so sad you couldn't come. Ah well, we're going in study leave aren't we?

**prongsthemarauder :** Are you a new reviewer? Hello! Glad you enjoyed it, keep reading and reviewing!

**addie**** :**Twas not porn. Twas kissing, that's all. PoA ROCKS! As does your t-shirt. Though not as much as mine. Wishmaster is such a good album! Once is out in seven days! [Do you want that or the big Troy poster now?]

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye :You** updated as I was about too! Though Monday is your regular time isn't it? We have a week off so expect to put up either one more on here or Beyond the Veil some time soon this week. Indeed is Ginny. She has all of . . . one line in PoA film I believe, which is rubbish. Sirius rocks, but you didn't understand my odd meaning of GO Sirius. It's a personal embarrassing thing . . .

**glitzydancingshoes**** :**Why live you in a tent? Do you do D of E? boogles ferociously to Nightwish WHOO! I do love author alerts, they rock!

**savetheducks : **You haven't reviewed this chapter, but I thought I'd say hi, and thanks for reviewing 1,2,3,4,5, and 6. Keep reading!

**_Foul loathsome evil little cockroach!_**


	17. Fine Again : Great Escape

**/N :**

Kat wishes to know if she can now officially kill the bastard French. Please? Pretty please? She'll love you all forever if you let her . . .

Dedication : Katie, who originally typed up this chapter before I lost it on my computer, Catherine, who typed it up the second time but then her comp buggered up. And all of the carp faeries and those in the cult. If you wish to join, ask in your review.

I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT ALL OF MY CHARACTERS! [And there are a lot of them . . .]

Oooh and by the way the songs mean nothing at the start. It just happens to be what I am listening to . . .

* * *

_Please please forgive me  
But __I won't be home again  
__Maybe some day you'll look up  
__And barely conscious you'll say to no one  
__Isn't something missing?_

_You won't cry for my absence I know  
__You forgot me long ago  
__Am I that unimportant?  
__Am I so insignificant?  
__Isn't someone missing me?_

_Even though I'd be sacrificed  
__You won't try for me, not now  
__Though I'd die to know you love me  
__I'm all alone . . ._

_Isn't someone missing me?_

_# Missing – Evanescence #_

* * *

Aurora was woken suddenly by someone tugging her duvet off of her. After dinner she had gone back to bed for she had been tired, and she had been sleeping for that long. "What?" she mumbled.

"Come on!" It was Serena. "We have to go!"

"Go where?" she mumbled a bit louder.

Serena sighed. "Don't question, just do!"

Aurora stumbled out of bed and changed into some random clothes in the blink of an eye. "Where - ?"

Serena took her hand and dragged her out of the room. Once outside, she banged Aurora's door closed and translocated them both to a room which Aurora knew to be somewhere off one of the main corridors of the school. Aurora could not believe the sight which met her eyes.

Virtually every Elder was there of all three good Orders - all of the members of the so-called 'High Council'. She could see Lana, her mother's best friend standing next to her husband David, Olivia's ex-husband. Her mother's own husband, Jon, was standing over in a corner with some children. When Aurora looked a bit closer she saw that all of her siblings were there, including Matilda.

Matilda's nickname was Tilly. She was fourteen, and had been born before Serena and Jon had got married. She was a pretty girl, though small for her age. Her hair was a deep brown, which was odd as Serena had golden-brown hair and Jon was blond. Her eyes were a bright blue, like Aurora's were most of the time, and when she smiled these eyes came alive. She would be taking her Knife Test on the 24th of December, four months after her birthday as was the tradition. The whole of the High Council would be there, as hers was a particularly important Test.

All of the people stared at Aurora, their faces black but their eyes and minds speaking volumes to her. She was strongly trying to resist the sudden urge to stick her tongue out at them. They all, of course, seemed to hate her guts, but underneath the ostensible hate she could sense pity for her situation, ad even some regret. She could also sense anger, but the exact source of hate she could not pinpoint.

"Serena?" Lana was the first to speak. "Have you told her why she is here? Anything at all?" Aurora could tell Lana was still uncomfortable being around her after the whole 'stairs incident' as they liked to call it.

"Nothing," answered Serena, who seemed on the verge of tears. "I could not bring myself to speak of it."

"Good." Lana turned to Aurora, her chocolate-brown eyes looking intently into Aurora's now bright blue ones. "We have something to tell you, and to ask you if you know anything about it. Somehow we presume not, as you have been ill for so long, but we are all here just in case. Shall I?" She glanced around, and various Elders nodded slightly. "I really don't know how to tell you this, so I shall just tell it to you straight. Your father has escaped."

Aurora laughed. "Right! And you actually expect me to believe that? It's not even April 1st!"

"We also knew that you would not believe us, so we thought we would show you this." Lana flicked her fingers slightly, and a large television-like screen appeared in front of Aurora, separating her from the rest of the people in the room. The screen was like the one she had seen her father on before when she had taken the events of the last High Council meeting from Mara's mind, and this one showed pretty much the same view. Her father, sitting against a wall in some sort of cave or small cave-type room, chained heavily to both the wall and the floor. He appeared heavily sedated; his head slumped to his chest. The same scene was seen for about a minute, until suddenly his head rose, his eyes open and alert. Somehow he melted the chains holding him down away, and he stood up, stretching like a cat. Then he moved over towards the cave opening, for it actually was a cave, the 'camera' following him. Lana flicked her fingers again, and the screen disappeared.

"He killed five of our best guards after that," she said.

Aurora was trying hard to keep her face straight and not to smile. "So he's gone?"

"Yes."

"And you don't know where he is?"

"No."

"And you were wondering if I knew anything about it."

"Yes."

"Well, as I'm sure you already know from picking my brains, I don't know anything as I've been ill for the last three weeks. What would I know? Ah," she smiled at her thought. "You want me to, in a way, work for you, don't you? To tell you if I see him."

Lana looked slightly guilty. "Yes."

"Why exactly would I do that? This is a man I've never met, but would die to meet, who happens to be one of my closest blood relations and would probably accept me, and you want me to lure him to me so you can capture him again and never let me see him? Did you seriously think I'd agree to that?"

"Well-"

"What do I get in return?"

"Forgiveness," Serena answered this time.

"Forgiveness for what? For my sins?"

"For what you did to me. We will try to help you again."

"I don't need bloody help! I am me. I am evil. I take after my father in that respect, and I don't want you to try and 'help' me in any way! I don't want to leave here and my best friend. About the incident Lan, I'm sorry, I really am. From the bottom of my blackened and poisoned heart I'm sorry. But how many times do I have to tell you? _It was not me_. It was _her!_ Sometimes I can't control myself, she takes over and I have to suffer the consequences of her actions. Even when I didn't know about her, before I came here, I knew that it wasn't me doing what she made me do." Everyone was still staring at her after this little outburst, but she still carried on. "So no, I won't work for you, whatever you offer me, whether it is forgiveness and new teaching, chocolate or even immortal life. I could never do that to someone I love, even if I do not know him or remember anything that he has done. I still love him as I love any member of my extended family or friends. _Never_ will I work for the good side of this battle."

Aurora turned and marched out of the room, her hair flying, tears pouring down her face for no apparent reason. Serena called after her, but she would not, and even could not, stop. Quickly she translocated herself into one of the main corridors near to the dungeons, scattering a bunch of third-year girls who were whispering behind their hands about some of the boys. She could feel the Morion presences moving with her, but she did not stop even for them. She muttered the password for the Common Room angrily and ran inside. Draco rose from where he had been sitting, but stopped as he saw the tears on her cheeks. She ran straight past him and up the stairs, blasting her door into splinters. She was still crying, and she did not know why. Surely she should be happy her father had escaped? Collapsing onto the floor, she saw two people appear in front of her.

"Really Aurora, do you have to make so much mess?" The woman turned and mended the door with a quick flick of her hand. Aurora could not help smiling.

"Always so tidy aren't we Liv?"

"Well, someone has to be around here, because you certainly aren't." Olivia glanced around. "It's tidy at the moment, but I bet Serena tidied it for you. It certainly wasn't this tidy when I came here last."

"You've been here before?"

"We came to see you when you were ill."

"She didn't tell me about that."

"Of course she didn't. Now Rora we must talk about why we are really here."

Aurora looked pained. "Did you know -?"

"Yes, and we have been trying to tell you ever since you woke yesterday, but we feared Serena and what she would do if we showed ourselves again. I believe she knows I am here, but we have hidden his," she indicated Will, who stood next to his mother, "presence well."

"If she finds out and tells Mara-"

"She'll go after you with a pitchfork!" Will laughed.

"They all will." Aurora found herself crying again. "Dammit! Why does this keep happening to me?"

Will came to sit on the floor next to her. "You've just found out something that is both shocking and really quite exciting. You're still in shock from finding it out."

"They're coming," Olivia said. "I have to go. So should you amin yondo." With that she shimmered and disappeared. [A/N : My son]

"Are you going?" asked Aurora.

"No," answered Will. "You need someone here who really understands you, and I seem to be that person right now." He put his arm around her, and she could smell his scent. It was odd; Draco never really seemed to smell of much, whereas Will always smelled of . . . Will. She remembered his scent well, too well. His long dark hair brushed hers, and she caught some of it in her fingers, feeling its softness beneath her fingertips. What would Draco say if he saw them this close?

"He would probably be very jealous," Will answered to her thoughts.

"He'd probably kill us." She stopped and thought for a moment, her fingers still caught in his hair. "But we've always been this close, friends or otherwise, ever since we were small." She smiled. "Do you think that she's gone to look for him?"

"Probably."

"She still loves him, doesn't she?"

"Always has done, always will do." _Like me._ she heard him think.

"Don't-" She bit her lip to try and hold back the tears.

"Don't think what you just thought. I – I'm meant to be happy with Draco. He's meant to be my Beloved. But -"

"You still regret what happened with us?"

"Of course I do," Aurora whispered, the tears she had fought to hold back now streaming steadily down her face. Will caught some of them in his palm where they turned to small diamonds. He kissed each of her cheeks tenderly, and then stood up.

"There are people coming, so I am going to go." He reluctantly let go of her hand. "Be brave Rors. We'll find him so don't worry. I bet he doesn't even know who you are any more." He kneeled in front of her, and she wrapped her arms around in a great bear-type hug before he kissed each of her palms and then her forehead affectionately in the benediction ritual. Then he shimmered and disappeared, leaving her utterly alone.

The door burst open. Aurora looked up to see a multitude of people standing there. She found out that she was still holding the tiny teardrop diamonds, which Will had slipped into her hand as he left. She shoved these under her bed, which she was now sitting with her back to. In the doorway was a range of figures, from her golden-eyed mother and her husband Jon, to Lana and her husband David, to Aurora's brother and sisters, to Draco, a quill still in his hand, dripping ink onto the floor, forming a small pool.

"What are you staring at?" Aurora demanded. "I'm slightly shocked and would like to be alone if you please to gather my thoughts and get over all of this. Please leave."

"But -"

"No Amme, no buts. I need all of you to leave me alone for a few weeks so I can think. But not about your offer, Lana, because that will never, ever, ever happen. Not in one hundred million years."

With that, Serena shimmered and disappeared, followed by everyone else except Draco and Matilda. Aurora stood up.

"Tilly -"

"I know, I must go."

"Good luck with the Test, yeah? You can always come and talk to me if you need to. I'll be at Draco's over the holidays if you need to come and see me. Oh, and tell Amme I'll be coming back to the house to pick up the rest of my stuff when school finishes, and also to visit Eldara's grave, the field and my Tree."

"Sure." Matilda moved towards Aurora with some hesitation before giving her a quick hug. "See you soon." She shimmered and disappeared.

"What the - " Aurora had almost forgotten that Draco was still there.

"Oh by the Lady Draco. What a mess I've got myself into."

**A/N :**

There are quite a few hints in here of things that may happen later. If you pay attention you may realise what they are [or if you've already read ahead . . .] Look at lengthy descriptions is all that I'm saying . . .

**glitzydancingshoes** : Thank God I decided not to do D of E. All of my mates do it. Poor them and poor you. What are you doing? Bronze, silver or gold? Pointless excuses are stupid. Don't bother with them. You'd eat one of my chapters? That's awfully nice of you!

**Clairie** – I don't update because I can't be bothered. Fact. What do you mean about 3 doors down? Who are they? Porn story is sort of porn. But it has to happen some time – they _are_ teenagers! And it's not like it's in great detail. [To all of you that have no idea what the hell I'm on about – I've written up to chapter 23 in which something happens . . . ]

**Addie** – IT IS NOT PORN! It is not. I tell you. It is not. Shall I wear my t-shirt again on Friday?

**Katie** - . . . bored . . . I do so live in Nottigham! You know nothing! How was Greek? Hope twas OK luv! Your elderly lobster no 1 was in a film on Saturday. He looked quite nice . . . MY MUM HAS SEEN HIM IN THE FLESH TOPLESS!!!!! DAMN HER!

**Luthien**** Goldberry** – [I'm not Addie, that's Bex]

**A-G-S** – Greetings dingbat! Yeah because you're however many hours behind us it's Monday for us. I'm going to see PoA on Friday again! Whoo! The masterpiece has ground to a halt. This is in full flow at the mo. So it'll be a while till I can be bothered to write more on that.

**lupu** – **BLINK BLINK BLINK BLINK BLINK BLINK BLINK! WHOO!** That is all I have to say to you.

**Rje** – PoA is odd. Sort of good, sort of not because it leaves out stuff or changes it. But TAF and Leonard . . .

**meenyrocks** – I'm sorry you can't update! I'm meant to be revising too . . . Oh well! I'll just do badly as always!

**DLSnapeKurama18** – I'd be in your band if you didn't live God-knows how many thousand miles away! And I'd need a kit too . . . Of course it sucks for Aurora – she's a teenager!

**If you people hurry up and review I may put up another chapter this week . . .**


	18. Photographs and Still Frames In Your Min...

**Revised 22nd July 2004**

How nice am I eh? Putting up another chapter so soon! I still expect those of you who haven't reviewed chapter 17 to do so and this one as well!

**Disclaimer** : I have decided to make this for the whole of the story. **I own nothing** except characters you don't recognise from HP.

**Dedication** : Catherine, Clairie, Meeny Mehreeny, Addie and Arwen for being the only people to review chapter 17. #Sniffs# I feel so unloved!

* * *

_Kerran__ vain haaveeni nähdä sain  
__En pienuutta alla tähtien tuntenut  
__Kerran__ sain kehtooni kalterit  
__Vankina__ sieltä kirjettä kirijoitan_

_Luojani__ luoksesi anna minun tulla siksi miksi lapsini minua luulee  
__Sinussa__ maailman kauneus josta kuolema teki minusta taiteilijan   
__Luojani__ luoksesi anna minun tulla siksi miksi lapsini minua luulee  
___

_Oman__ taivaan tänne loin  
__Anna minun päästä pois   
__Oman__ taivaan tänne loin  
__Anna minun päästä pois _

* * *

After telling Draco that she had got herself into a mess, Aurora would not tell him any more for fear that Voldemort would find out. If he did, Aurora was sure that _she_ would face the consequences. She avoided the subject as much as possible, and Draco recognised her discomfort and so did not talk about it either. She also avoided Mara, and Mara was doing the same. Settling into her three-lesson daily routine was easy, and she slept for the time that she was not in lessons, or read her Tome. There was less than a week left of school anyway, so she could not be bothered to work any more than she had to.

On the Saturday before they were to break up, it began to snow. It covered the castle and all of the grounds outside with a foot-deep white woolly blanket. Aurora sat at breakfast, not eating anything, listening to Draco talking and staring up at the enchanted ceiling, which was filled with fluffy white clouds spitting small perfectly formed snowflakes. She heard the beating of wings as the post owls came swooping into the hall. One of the Malfoy family's multitude of owls dropped a large box in front of Draco, then another a letter. Draco got mail regularly from home, but the only mail Aurora ever got did not come by owl, it randomly appeared on her desk, usually from Lucy or Will, but occasionally from one of her muggle friends.

Naturally she was quite surprised when a large tawny owl swooped over her head, neatly dropping a letter and a small parcel into her lap. She recognised it as it ascended back up to the ceiling, where it hovered for a few seconds before swooping out of the hall. Glancing around, she was glad Mara was looking at a letter and not at her, or there would have been questions asked about the owl, and why _she_ was receiving it. But even she did not know why. Turning over the letter, she could tell who it was from straight away. It was true, the writing had changed in two years, but it was still recognisable as her eldest sister's. "Tilly?" she said to herself.

Draco stopped mid-sentence. "Isn't that your sister?"

"Yes," she replied. "Why would she be sending me something? Amme would kill her . . ." Her mother had not returned to see Aurora face-to-face since the day on which Aurora had found out about her father, although Aurora had sensed her presence many times. Will had been once or twice, but she had sent him away roughly.

Aurora opened the letter first. She skimmed the two pages of tiny writing, meaning to read it again later. It basically warned Aurora away from returning home as she had planned to, and said how scared she was of taking the Knife Test. Aurora could remember hers well. She had known what was going to happen, but it had come as a great shock to her mother who had not Seen it in a vision. They had all tried to convert her, but no one could ever be converted back from 'evil' to 'good'. The other way around it could be done, as was the case with Ben, Aurora's father, and Olivia, but never 'evil' to 'good'. Somehow Aurora had a feeling something unexpected was to happen with Tilly as it had with her. She just did know what yet.

The parcel was small and delicately wrapped. Aurora remembered Tilly being quite precise, as Eldara had always been. This triggered something off in her mind. "Did I ever show you those photos of my sister?" she asked Draco quietly.

"No," he replied.

"Come on then."

"But . . ." Draco had been poised with a piece of toast halfway to his mouth.

"Take it with you."

"Shouldn't you eat something? You haven't touched food for days."

"Suppose." She grabbed a piece of toast and an apple whilst standing up. In truth she had been eating, but food had started to make her feel sick.

"What's in there?" He nodded at the box.

"Paper."

"Paper?"

"Yes, paper," she repeated.

"What-"

"Never mind." Feeling Mara's eyes on her, she picked up the box and letter quickly and left the room.

On reaching the common room, she sent Draco to his room to get something to wear, and then she went to her room. There, under her bed, along with dirty socks and the odd plate with mouldy food on it, was the box where she kept her most prized possessions. Her photos. She just had to glance at the top photo to make her eyes fill with tears. "Won't cry . . ." she muttered, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and replacing the lid on the box. She pulled on some boots and black fishnets, her long purple coat, multicoloured hat and scarf in addition to her plum coloured skirt and black short kaftan, before slipping the box from Tilly under her bed, where she was sure nobody would dare to venture. She met Draco back in the common room, and they walked slowly, his arm around her waist out into the grounds.

It seemed about half of the school were now out here, including the teachers, many of whom were sitting on benches, talking and drinking hot steaming mugs of tea or coffee. The pupils in younger years were building snowmen and having snowball fights, and the older ones were supervising or in some cases joining in themselves. Draco took his arm from around her waist.

"Hey . . . !" she started before getting hit on the bum with a large snowball. "You're for it now!" She grabbed some snow and threw it roughly back at him. He ducked and threw some back at her legs, making her topple over to sit in the snow.

"Are you alright?" He squatted in the snow next to her, not noticing the snow already in her hands. She rubbed it through hi hair roughly. "Oi!" he exclaimed, before kissing her gently, a cold hand cupped under her chin. He stood up and held out his hand to pull Aurora up after him. She stumbled slightly and clutched at his arm.

"You alright?"

"Will you stop asking me that? I'm fine."

"You look . . . "

"Oh hush." They continued walking in silence until they reached a bench, where they say down, the box on Aurora's lap. "You open it," she said.

Draco opened the box carefully. The top photo, the one Aurora had glanced at earlier, he took out first. It was in a silver frame, and had been hanging on Aurora's wall at home before it had become too painful for her to look at. It was the first picture ever taken of herself and Eldara, Aurora in her father's arms and Eldara in her mother Serena's. Aurora's eyes filled with tears, which she fought hard to hold back. One tear however wound its way slowly down her left cheek. Draco looked into her eyes for a moment then reached up slowly and brushed it away with his lips.

"Shh," he whispered. "Are you going to be like this with all of the photos?"

"Probably," she answered. "I'll try to contain myself though." She smiled at him, and took the picture out of his hands, placing it on the bench beside her. Underneath it was a pile of various photos; mostly baby ones, which they flicked through quickly. They came to a certain one, and Aurora stopped with it in her hands.

"This was one of the last ones taken before she died," she said.

It was Aurora herself, holding a small child, Eldara holding a baby, Mara and Will standing over a bridge over a small stream. It was the only 'wizard' photo in the collection, as all of the rest had been taken with muggle cameras. The children looked happy, and the child Aurora was holding kept waving frantically.

"Who is the little girl?" asked Draco, pointing at the one with her arms clutched around Aurora's neck.

"Tilly. The baby is Isolde."

"You look funny."

Aurora stuck her tongue out at him, and her miniature self on the picture looked quite grumpy. "I was six years old! This was taken on the 18th of December, three days before she died," she said. Draco noted the snow on the field in the background of the picture, and the fact that all of the children had heavy winter coats on. They kept looking through the photos, which ended with the last full one taken of Morion. It had been taken in the summer, and Aurora pointed out all of the people Draco would know, including herself, Amy, Will and Olivia.

"Why is there a space?" questioned Draco, indicating a space between Amy and Lucy, in the middle at the front.

"It's an honourary space for my father. Technically he is still head of the Order, even if he is in a cave somewhere. Or not now, I suppose. Wherever he is."

"I had a thought last night."

"How much is it going to cost me?"

"Ha ha. No, I was thinking about Addie. She had left you, right?"

Aurora nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"Well, could she have gone to your father? To help him escape?"

"I never thought about that," admitted Aurora. "I suppose I've been thinking about this 'test' I have to get through so much I haven't thought about how he got out. She could have given him all of that power to escape. It is exactly like her."

"That's what I thought."

Aurora hugged him tightly. "Thank you!"

School continued as usual for the next three days, with Aurora almost forgetting about the up-and-coming anniversary of her sister's death, but it was always sitting somewhere at the back of her mind. Usually she would remember it before she went to sleep, where she would start to cry, with no one to dry her tears, as her mother had always done when she was younger. It was true that Draco could have done it for her, but other than the fact that he was not in her bed, they seemed to be getting further apart. He seemed to be keeping secrets from her, and she had found him talking to Pansy on a number of occasions, someone who he had told her that he did not like.

Tilly had sent no more word to Aurora, so she presumed her younger sister was alright now. The box she had got from Tilly had contained paper, as she had said, but it was not the paper itself that was important, but what was written on the paper. It looked like the random scribblings of a small child, but was in fact all of the codes and passwords needed for Aurora to gain access to her house, mixed in with other words and pictures. It had been in a box to hide it from her mother. She remembered now that Mara was to go home over the start of the holidays, until after Yule, then go back to Hogwarts for the wizarding and muggle festival of Christmas, and this meant she would be at home when Aurora was there.

Aurora was on the train on the way home, silently sitting alone in a carriage. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle had gone off through the train, presumably to terrorize the younger children, and she had not wanted to go with them. It was true that usually she would have enjoyed it, but in her current frame of mind, feeling quite 'good', she thought it was quite horrible. Her plans of trying to tell Draco this had failed miserably, so she had given up and had sat alone for most of the journey up until now. Mara, she knew, was going all of the way to London before going back on a muggle train to their home, but Aurora knew that it would be easier to translocate straight from the train to somewhere near the house.

Changing quickly from her robes into a pair of baggy black trousers, a simple black vest, her long red coat and her biog black boots, she collected up her belongings from the carriage, including her money, none of which she had yet spent, and the box from Tilly. Quickly she scanned the corridor outside the compartment of the carriage, she could not see Draco anywhere, and she probed with her mind to find him scaring some second-years with Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy in the next carriage down.

_ Bye._ she thought into his mind.

_ You're going already?_

_ Yes. They live about two hundred miles away from London, which is near here._

_ Wait for one minute._

_ I've really got to –_

_ No. Wait. _

About a minute later the door slid open and Draco burst in, breathless. Pansy stood behind him, a small smirk on her ugly face, as if she knew something Aurora did not, and was trying to rub it in without Aurora knowing what it was.

"Hi," breathed Draco.

"I've really got to go."

"And you didn't want to give me a proper goodbye?"

"Of course I did. But now I'm further away from the house than I estimated and all of my calculations are going to be off and –"

"You sound like Granger," he cut in.

Aurora sighed, and reached out her hands to meet his. They felt cold and almost clammy to her touch, but she kept them in hers to make a point to Pansy. She turned both of his hands over and brushed them with her lips lightly, before reaching up to kiss him on the forehead, the ancient ritual of benediction. He reached up and stroked the streak in her hair lovingly, before drawing her to him and kissing her roughly.

"See you in a few days," he said as they drew apart.

"Sure." Aurora picked up her things again, for she had dropped them, kissed Draco lightly on the nose, then shimmered and disappeared, leaving Draco alone with Pansy in the compartment.

"You see what I mean about her?" said Pansy after a few seconds to check that Aurora had actually gone.

"Definitely," he replied, nodding.

* * *

**A/N :**

Ooooooooooooooh . . . what does he see Pansy means about her? Ooooooooooooooh! Hee hee I know and you don't! [Well some of you may do]. It's not really what he sees she means about Aurora, it's more . . . erm . . . Difficult to explain. The rift is occurring . . .

None of you **that reviewed** seemed to get what I meant with my little hints from the last chapter about looking at description. It doesn't mean that I'm going to tell you though. You can keep thinking about it until it gets explained. Its quite subtle and if you don't know too much about Aurora. Thinking about it, I can't remember if I've actually said it before . . . Ah well, it'll all be explained later in about chapter 23 I do believe. It's all about the eyes . . . And a certain someone's hair [NOT Aurora's or Draco's, a minor character described not too long ago . . .] Come on people guess!

Oooh BTW everyone if I have asked you to be in the cult you are a CF follower and not a carp faerie yourself . . . if you want to actually be one you have to understand why we are called the carp faeries and why the obsession with carp – just think about my obsessions!

**Catherine** : I've asked you now. The cult rocks! Thanks for saying its amazing dude!

**Clairie** : 3 doors down are pretty good – though not really my sort of music, still OK. As to Rora and Will - :p you'll just have to wait and see! He's mine if Rors turns him down – he's my ideal man as he has long dark hair and wears eyeliner!

**meenyrocks**** :**I'm updating woman! It's as quickly as I can be bothered to do it!

**Addie** : **BLINK AND NOW NIGHTWISH! THIS IS MY LUCKY MONTH!!!!!** How hyper was I earlier? Tis actually porn, I admit. Though it's not as bad as some stories . . .

**A-G-S :** You can be obsessed with SADIB too. He is amazing! You have talent deary, never underestimate yourself. I wouldn't still be reviewing if you were crap now would I? Thinking of betas though, I could do with one #thinks# Ah well, I'll be fine. Right now it's 5:30pm here and quite warm oddly enough. **Sorry for what I said earlier . . . **

**Please do R&R!**


	19. I Don't Care : So There

**

* * *

Revised 22nd July 2004**

This will probably be the last chapter until the holidays [about 3 weeks] as I can't be bothered to write as I've written all of the Christmas chapters and I've got no idea where to go from there. Towards the end I suppose. #sighs#. But I do love this story so . . .

Anyway, sorry to leave the last chapter the way I did, but it maybe gives you some of the general idea of where it's going, especially at Christmas. Actually most of the action happens at Yule, but that's not really the point.

I'm feeling slightly sick as I went to Cadbury World today and ate _far_ too much chocolate. Ah well. Oh, and if you are in the UK, you can see me on the TV! Well, teletext. Channel 4 page 388. I'm from Nottingham, so you'll know which top ten mine is . . .

Dedication : Katie, who wonderfully typed this chapter up for me, and guessed the secret I've been hinting at for a while. [It's not really that big, but it's funny when people think that it is. Keep looking at descriptions. I don't actually think that it's in this chapter, but it's definitely in chapter 21. Not that any of you have read that . . . ] Also Rachel [Rje] as she asked for a dedication. Arwen, because I slightly pissed her off. And everyone else who I love and loves me.

There is going to be some swearing in the next few chapters. Shocking I know. Do you think I should put the rating up? It's only a PG at the mo – maybe up to a PG-13?

**HALF BLOOD PRINCE!** It will so be the final title.

* * *

_I've been watching you from a distance  
__But distance sees through your disguise  
__All I want from you is your hurting  
__I want to heal you  
__I want to save you from the dark_

_Give unto me your troubles  
__I'll endure your suffering  
__Place unto me your burden  
__I'll drink your deadly poison_

_Why should I care if they hurt you?  
__Somehow it matters more to me  
__Than if I were hurting myself  
__Save you  
__I'll save you_

_Fear not the flame of my love's candle . . ._

_Give unto me your troubles  
__I'll endure your suffering  
__Place unto me your burden  
__I'll drink your deadly poison_

_Fear not the flame of my love's candle_

_I'll be the sun in your world of darkness . . ._

_# Give Unto Me – Evanescence #_

* * *

The small child she was carrying buried her head further into Aurora's shoulder. "Sídh," she said in a soothing voice, but the child continued to bury her head and cry pitifully. [A/N: Shh]

Aurora looked up at the large double doors in front of her with apprehension before composing herself and stepping forwards to knock sharply on the right hand door. It opened, and a small voice said nervously, "Yes, Miss?"

"I believe I am expected. My name is Aurora Polgana."

"Yes, Miss," said the house elf, bowing slightly. "Master has ordered me to take you to your room."

Aurora adjusted the child on her hip and, dragging her trunk behind her, followed the house elf down a series of passages, all of which were ornately decorated with ancient paintings of the various ancestors of the Malfoy family.

They reached a corridor that looked slightly more modern than the rest of the house. The elf stopped outside a door about half way down the corridor.

"Your room, Miss," it squeaked, producing a key and handing it to her.

"Thanks," muttered Aurora, who did not really know how to address the creature. The little girl she had been carrying slipped out of her arms to stand beside Aurora.

"Are you alright?" Aurora asked gently.

"Mm," mumbled the girl, a look of wonder on her face.

Aurora put the key into the lock and turned it. When she heard a click, she turned the handle and pushed the door, but it did not open. A face appeared on the door which startled Aurora slightly.

"Password?" it asked.

"Password?" repeated Aurora. "What would he have changed my password to?" She thought for a moment. "Any ideas?" she asked the child, who shrugged her shoulders.

"OK then . . . Aurora?" she guessed. "No, maybe not. Polgana? Draco? Slytherin? Hogwarts? Mara?" She continued to guess random words for about ten minutes, but still the face refused to accept a password. "Tree? Animal? Rock?"

"Correct," said the face.

"Rock?" said Aurora incredulously.

"Music?" suggested the girl.

"Ah. That could be it." Aurora turned the handle of the door, and it swung open to reveal a large ornately decorated sitting room style area with a sofa, table, writing desk and even an open log fire.

"Not really my taste," commented Aurora. "But I'm sure we can rectify that."

There were two more doors leading off the main room. The first led into a bathroom containing a toilet, washbasin and a large bath.

"No shower?" remarked Aurora, apparently unimpressed.

"You going to do something about that too?" said the girl, who was sitting on the sofa swinging her legs.

"Probably."

The last door led into her bedroom, which had in it a large four-poster bed, a wardrobe and a . . .

"Balcony?" exclaimed Aurora, throwing open the French windows and stepping outside. "Wow!"

She looked around her to survey the view. The Malfoy's land stretched far and wide beyond her vision. Her room was situated at the end of the house, as she could see the long driveway that she had walked up winding through some lush fields. To the left of the Manor ran a small river, and she remembered there was a small wood behind it.

Aurora stood for a moment, lost in her thoughts, and was only brought back to the present by the slamming of the door to the main room.

"Bloody hell!" she muttered angrily to herself. "Where's she run off to now? Her mum is going to murder me if she finds out I've lost her again!" she ran quickly through the bedroom and the main room, wrenching open the door and leaping out just in time to see the corner of the girl's robe whip around the corner at the end of the passage.

"Dammit! I'm never going to find her. Unless . . ." She sniffed. "Of course!" She formed in her mind the image of a grey wolf and slowly slipped into it. When she felt adjusted to the newly sharpened senses, she bounded along the corridor, the key held in her mouth. She followed the girl's scent through the numerous passages of the Manor and up and down many flights of stairs. Occasionally she would catch sight of the child's back, or her hair, but she could never seem to get close enough to stop her.

Aurora reached the top of the main flight of stairs which led down into the great entrance hall. The little girl had stopped half way down, and it took aurora a few moments to realise why.

Standing in the hall was a large group of men and women. They were all staring up at the girl intensely, and from where Aurora was standing, she could see that the girl was crying, her face a mask of fear. About half of the group had their wands raised towards the child, ready to strike.

Aurora sprang down the stairs and sat next to the child. She watched their faces change from accusation to surprise, but she knew that only one of the group knew who she really was.

_ So you got here then? _his voice spoke in her head.

_ Yes. _she thought back.

_ Who is the girl?_

_ Amy's daughter Miranda. She's only four, poor thing._

_ Shall I tell them?_

_ No. Let them think about it first._

Aurora looked up and saw a lone figure walking up the stairs towards her, their wand raised. "Who are you?" the woman challenged.

Miranda let out a small sob. Aurora raised her wolf head and looked the woman straight in the eye, before changing slowly back into her human form. She heard a few muffled gasps from the crowd. The woman's expression changed from anger to surprise.

"I, Bellatrix Lestrange, am Aurora," she said confidently, before turning to the girl next to her and holding out her arms. The girl clambered into them and once again buried her head in Aurora's shoulder.

"Aurora?" sneered Bellatrix. "Aurora who?"

"Aurora Polgana."

"Polgana?"

"Yes."

Bellatrix's eyes widened. "As in Benjamin Polgana?"

"My father, yes."

"Your –" Bellatrix looked shocked. "But why are you here?" she accused.

"I was invited."

"Who invited you?"

"That would have been me." Draco spoke for the first time.

"My nephew inviting a Polgana into this house? It's a scandal!" exclaimed Bellatrix, turning to face the crowd behind her. Aurora saw this as an opportunity to disappear, so she translocated down the stairs to sit calmly on the bottom step.

Bellatrix turned back to face the place Aurora had been to find no one there. "Where did she go?" she stormed, stomping down the stairs straight past Aurora. Aurora grinned cheekily.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Everyone turned around simultaneously, and several of them raised their wands at once.

"Draco, you can open it," said Bellatrix forcefully, prodding him forwards with her wand.

Draco looked apprehensive, but stepped forwards to tug on the handle. The door flew open to reveal three figures.

"Aurora!" commanded the first person.

"Bugger," muttered Aurora. "Bugger, bugger, bugger!" she repeated, standing up, still carrying Miranda in her arms.

"Where is she?" demanded the first speaker.

"We . . ." stammered Bellatrix.

"Draco?" The figure turned to face him.

"I'm . . . sorry Amy, but I don't actually know."

"Yes you do." She began to search his brain.

"Stop that!" Draco said, trying to block her probing.

"No."

"Oh, by Artemis, Amy, I'm here!" Aurora called. "You shouldn't do that, you know. I've taught him a certain level of resistance, but . . ."

"Miri!" exclaimed Amy, quickly translocating over to where aurora was standing with the girl cradled in her arms. "Come on, darling." She held out her arms to the child, who simply buried her head even further into Aurora's shoulder.

"Don't want to," she mumbled obstinately.

"What?"

"Want to stay with Aurora."

"You know you can't do that, Miri," whispered Aurora gently. "You've got to go with your Amme."

"Don't want to," Miranda repeated.

"Why not?" asked Aurora. As she asked this, however, she noticed that about forty people were watching this performance like some kind of soap opera. She shrugged off the thought.

"She wants me to grow up. She wants me to make big-girl decisions. I don't want to grow up!" Miranda's voice rose to a wail.

"Then go and join Peter Pan!" Aurora couldn't help smiling.

"Don't like him. I'd rather be a pirate!"

"Then go and join Captain Hook! You're a bit young though. He'd probably slice your belly open and feed you to the fishes!" Aurora pretended to pull a hook across Miranda's stomach, making the little girl squeal.

"Will you go home now?" asked Aurora softly.

"Only if I can come and see you again soon. You tell wonderful stories."

"Yes. And thank you." Aurora handed Miranda over to her mother.

"Thanks," said Amy gratefully.

"It's OK. She can come again, right?"

"Sure," smiled Amy. "Like the hair, by the way."

Aurora laughed and pulled at a lock of her hair, which was now short, black and pink with a strip of white on the left side. "It's a bit mad, isn't it?" she said, grinning.

"Just like you then."

Aurora smiled again. "Why are they here?" she inquired, inclining her head towards the other two figures, who were standing in front of the now closed door.

"Clíodhna is here with yet more messages for you, and some Yule gifts, I believe. Liv is here to help remove any . . ." she cleared her throat, "bugs."

"Goddess, I nearly forgot!"

"We know. That is why I came." Olivia stepped forwards, pulling down her hood and removing her cloak, which vanished as she dropped it onto the floor. She moved over to Aurora and hugged her. "How is my daughter? Did she go home during the holidays?"

"Yup. I paid them all a little visit for a couple of days. Needless to say they all enjoyed _that_ thoroughly. You should have seen their faces!" Aurora's eyes sparkled as she spoke. "Anyway, bugs."

"Bugs?" exclaimed Narcissa Malfoy, who was standing beside her unusually quiet husband in the middle of the group. "We have no bugs!"

"Not insects, Mrs Malfoy," Aurora explained. "A different kind. The kind that you cannot see or hear." She moved slowly up the stairs, touching the walls with her hands as she moved. She was about half way up the stairs when she stopped suddenly.

"Aha! Got one!" she said triumphantly, her hands stopping at a certain point in the wall. "I have a feeling there are only two in the whole house actually, and one of them is ours anyway. This would be the other one. Rana." She plunged her hands into the wall. "Oh no you don't!" she cried as she grabbed something in her hands and threw it over the banister.

Olivia caught it and threw it onto the floor. "A spider. Interesting."

"Was that the thing in the wall?" asked Narcissa in disgust.

"Yup," replied Aurora, who had translocated down the stairs and was now crouching to examine the spider. "Show yourself," she commanded. The spider began to grow, taking the form of a man. Aurora's eyes widened as he got larger until he was a fully-formed man. "G – g – go," she stuttered. "A – And d - don't come b – back." She glanced at Olivia, who was staring at the man, but whose face gave away no emotion. The man straightened up, then shimmered and disappeared.

"Are you alright?" Aurora asked Olivia anxiously, touching her lightly on the arm.

"I will be," replied Olivia a little shakily.

"Who was that?" asked Draco.

"Erm . . ." said Aurora, glancing at Olivia, who had turned deathly pale with delayed shock. "I'll tell you later."

"I'm - You're - He's -" whispered Olivia, her eyes wide and staring.

"Go home Liv. Get some rest," said Aurora gently but firmly.

"Mm," mumbled Olivia. Amy came up behind her with Miranda in her arms and touched Olivia's shoulder. They both shimmered and then disappeared.

Aurora looked back towards the doors, where Clíodhna was still standing, watching the events from a distance. Aurora nodded her head slightly, and Clíodhna began to weave her way through the crowd to where Aurora was standing.

"Am cuio an buio," Clíodhna said, dropping to one knee in front of Aurora. [A/N : I live to serve]

"Oro." Aurora took one of Clíodhna's hands and pulled her to her feet. (A/N: "Rise.") "Gwathel Clíodhna. Kuma le avo grea amin nuntion? Ta hon saveo nauch liteaor_._" [A/N: "Sister Clíodhna. Will you not become my messenger? It would save on such formalities.]

"Anwa, Gwathel Aurora. Ta hon na roon." [A/N: "Truly, sister Aurora. It would be easier.]

"The why not become it?" Aurora changed to English as she could sense the other people becoming agitated as they did not understand the conversation.

"If you wish me to be."

"It is done."

"Now, would you like your presents?"

"Presents?"

"Yes. I believe they are Yule presents."

"I do not think I shall be up to opening them then."

Clíodhna looked at her in puzzlement. Aurora shrugged unhappily. "Ten years," she said simply.

Clíodhna did not question the matter further, as a look of comprehension came over her face. She silently handed Aurora a small sack filled with parcels and letters, said goodbye and left quickly.

Aurora turned to the crowd, an expression of amusement on her face. "Always one for big entrances, aren't I?"

#

They looked at her with contempt. Though, Aurora mused, it could have been something to do with her hair and clothes. Plus the fact that she was Ben Polgana's daughter, as well as a sorceress. A few of them still had their wands ready to attack, but the majority had seen sense and lowered them slowly. She giggled quietly to herself.

What is so funny?" Bellatrix Lestrange was one of those who still had their wands raised. Her face showed no trace of emotion, not even contempt, but her eyes showed deep resentment and hatred.

"Oh, nothing," replied Aurora. "Well, lots of things. You do realise that you can't hurt me with those things, don't you?" She inclined her head to the wand in Bellatrix' hand.

"I can harm you." Bellatrix raised her voice.

"Really? I'd like to see you try."

Bellatrix levelled her wand at the centre of aurora's chest. "Crucio!" she screamed.

Aurora casually flicked away the magic with one hand, where it exploded in a shower of red sparks. "Ooh, I'm scared now," she said sarcastically.

Bellatrix shot various curses at Aurora, but she evaded them all with ease. "Do you give in?" she asked finally, in a bored tone.

"No!" Bellatrix seemed defiant. "But for now, I yield."

"Hmm, that seemed really old-fashioned. Oh well." She looked past Bellatrix to the small crowd still assembled. "In case you lot didn't already know, even though I already told you, I am Aurora Polgana, and yes, I am the daughter of Ben Polgana, who I'm sure most of you know already. I am sixteen, and if you want to know, my birthday is on the sixteenth of January, which happens to be a full moon this year. I was invited to this house by them," she indicated Draco's parents. "Don't blame them; they didn't know who I am. Well . . ." she thought for a moment. "Mr Malfoy did, but I erased his memories of me." She flashed him a sweet smile. "I'm five foot seven, but I don't know how much I weigh. Oh, and one last thing. I am a sorceress. So I am probably more powerful than all of you put together. So there."

* * *

**A/N :**

Oh don't you just love Bellatrix? I really think she's a great character, you know. Ends a bit crapply, I'm sorry. I really am.

I need help with a new story idea. 'After Thoughts' really isn't going anywhere in my mind, and I've had a really good idea for a new story. Peter Pan yes or no? It'll be Wendy really, and a return to the Neverland. I can't do ANOTHER Mary-Sue as I was going to, so I thought . . . Wendy! Anyway, it'll be to do with the fairies / pixies / faeries and Wendy. Yes or no people?

**Katie Bloom :** Don't carp faeries rock? Your theory about #hem hem# person was correct, congratulations! What is your theory about Pansy and Draco? Have you told me already, and I've forgotten? I haven't lost this chapter – go me! Pft physics. Pft.

**Rje** : I got a B in German. Yay! It was better than I expected. Still don't know how A, A, B, B can equal a B, but never thee mind, eh? Carp faeries = Carp because of TAF, and faeries because faeries rock! You can be part of the cult if you want. I am the original carp faerie, Bex / Addie is the pilfering one who stole my idea, and Hannah is the evil carp faerie. All others belong to the cult.

**glitzydancingshoes** : I can leave it there because it is my author's right. #boogles to odd dancy record on radio#

**lupu** : But multitude is a great word! I do tend to overuse it slightly though. Red is not really my colour either. I prefer black, purple or blue. You'll soon know what she means . . .

**DLSnapeKurama18** : We're all crazy! Where exactly are you from luv? Oh course she cried. People cry a lot. She will continue to cry for many chapters to come, I do believe.

**Arwen** : If I was in America I would get People's magazine. I love Orlando! Gone off him a bit though recently. I love the little moments too – they are really sweet. Not so sweet soon though . . . I'M SORRY!

**meenyrocks** : Our message to TAF rocked. Can't really remember it. Was something like 'TELL US WHO THE SEXY HP DUDE IS OR WE WILL KILL YOU!' Though we didn't say we'd kill him. Because then he'd be dead. We were bored OK?

**Clairie** : Of course he wears eyeliner. No self-respecting male doesn't. Ville . . . Anyway, he _is _mine.

**HALF BLOOD PRINCE!** It will so be the final title.


	20. Imprison Your Soul

**Revised 22nd July 2004 **

Tuomas has a sexy hat. That is all I have to say.

* * *

_Lost in your dark eyes  
I have seen your shadow world  
Moments of madness  
Slowly drowning in your love_

_I promise you nothing  
But this earthly misery  
Would you share it with me?_

_High, much higher than moon  
Flies away the angel of love  
Deep, much deeper and true  
Is the sea of emotions we share_

_The poem so beautiful  
Can turn into nightmare before we know  
The secret bound of our blood oath  
Keeps us together until the dawn . . ._

* * *

Draco told Aurora to dress formally for dinner that night, but she did not have any of her formal clothes with her, so she conjured up a dress out of nowhere. It was long and, quite surprisingly, black, with a corset-like top and long, wide sleeves. She added a pair of big black boots with metal heels and various accessories, like a choker and studded bracelets, to the outfit just to make her stand out from the crowd even more, though she knew she would anyway. She changed her hair back to normal before adding red undertones to give a sort of Ozzy Osbourne effect.

Earlier she had also been told by Draco the basic rules of the house, which included no setting the house elves free [not that Aurora would or even know how to], no going near to his parent's rooms [Aurora would never do that] and be polite to all of the guests. She would have found the last one easier if it had not been the fact that the Lestrange's were staying in the Manor for the foreseeable future. Bellatrix Lestrange had seemed to take an instant disliking to Aurora, and she did not know why. Lucius Malfoy did not seem to like her much either, but she knew that was more to do with her father than with herself. But Bellatrix . . . Aurora had no idea why _her_ hatred ran so deep, and why she let it show so obviously.

There was a knock on the door as Aurora was finishing applying her eyeliner. "Come in!" she called, and she heard the door open. Sticking her head around the bathroom door, she saw Draco standing there, wearing dark blue robes to match the blue on some of her corset. "Hey," she smiled. "I'll be out on one second."

Draco started to walk around, inspecting what she had done to 'improve' the room. "Who's this?" he asked as she came out of the bathroom.

"What? On the poster?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Nightwish."

"Are they one of those random bands you force me to listen to?"

"Yes. But I don't force you to listen."

"So do you find any one of these men on here remotely attractive?"

"Yes actually I do."

"Which-"

"The one on the left hand side. Long-ish hair, red bits in it, small beard."

"Him?!"

"Yup."

"But he's . . ."

"Like Will? I know. His name is Tuomas. I also like the blond one without the beard. He's pretty cool and he has a cool name - Emppu. Have you ever been to a concert?"

"A what?"

"I'm guessing no. I'll see if I can get some tickets and we can go to see them."

She sighed, and then turned to face him for the first time properly. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Bloody amazing," he replied, a look of amazement on his face. It was the first time she had heard him remotely swear out loud. "And absolutely perfect. They'll love you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Just keep quiet about your father, smile and look vaguely regal. That colour really brings out your eyes."

"That could be the eyeliner."

Draco laughed. "It could be. Don't you have your father's eyes?"

"Supposedly, but as I have never seen him I wouldn't know."

Aurora tried to look her best as she entered the large dining room arm-in-arm with Draco, but she knew that she was probably failing miserably. As the youngest they were the last to enter the room, and Aurora knew that the whole 'youngest last' thing was probably only done so everyone could look at her. In some ways she loved being the centre of attention, but in other ways she hated being it almost all of the time, as was usually the case it seemed in her life.

There were about eighty guests for dinner, all of them older than Aurora and Draco. They were sat nearly at the end of the long table, and just her luck, Aurora was sitting next to Bellatrix Lestrange. The one consolation to this was that Draco was sitting opposite her, and kept giving her small reassuring smiles.

To say that she was sat next to someone who hated her for no apparent reason, the whole affair of the numerous course meal went extremely well. She made polite conversation with the witch sitting to her other side, and avoided talking to Bellatrix whenever possible. Bellatrix, she noticed, was being remarkably restraint, and seemed to want to tell or ask Aurora something, but could never quite get around to saying it, and kept making nervous glances across the table to her husband. She could feel Draco gently probing her mind as if he were looking for something, but what she could not place and she did not want to disturb him.

Eventually the dinner seemed to have finished, and everyone rose. She started to walk towards Draco, but he widened his eyes at her slightly.

**__**_ No!_ he said in her head. _You've got to go with the other women. Follow my aunt._

_ You're bloody joking right?_

_ No._

_ This is all so old-fashioned._

She kissed him quickly, and then followed Bellatrix as she had been mean to. What she did not see was Draco wiping his mouth after they had kissed, a small smile on his face.

She slipped to the back of the group, where she would not be noticed. Suddenly she turned back, then translocated up to her room, hoping she would not be missed for a while.

Once in her mind, she tried to turn on her CD player, one that she had taken from home when she had gone back there. It did not work, as she had thought it would not. "Tyalie!" she commanded at it, and after a few seconds it spluttered into life. Aurora strode out onto her balcony. Outside it was already pitch black, being a December night at half past ten. She turned the music up a few notches so it blasted out of her room and into the darkness.

_This is me for forever  
__One of the lost ones   
__The one without a name   
__Without a honest heart as compass_

_This is me for forever   
__One without a name  
__These lines the last endeavour  
__To find the missing lifeline_

_Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
__All I wish is to dream again  
__My loving heart lost in the dark  
__For hope I'd give my everything . . ._

They had not yet noticed that she had disappeared. The men were in a drawing room on the second floor, and the women were still making their way towards somewhere on the fourth floor, the floor above Aurora's. She made sure that they did not notice her absence yet.

_My flower withered between  
__The pages two and three  
__The once and forever bloom  
__Gone with my sins_

_Walk the dark path  
__Sleep with angels  
__Call the past for help  
__Touch me with your love  
__And reveal to me my true name _

_Oh how I wish for soothing rain   
__All I wish is to dream again  
__My longing heart lost in the dark  
__For hope I'd give my everything . . ._

She was quite surprised to find out that Draco had, for the first time it seemed, gone with the men to partake in their talk. Crabbe and Goyle were there too, but Aurora knew that they were too thick to understand what was going on in between all of the idle chat. Random words slotted into sentences, a code of sorts only the true followers of the Dark Lord, his closest circle, could understand. Lucius Malfoy had taught Draco to recognise the code, and Aurora had taken it from Draco's mind when she had arrived at the Manor and found that he knew it. He did not know that she had done this of course; she had done it in secret, quickly and quietly.

_Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
__Oh how I wish to dream again  
__Once and for all  
__And all for once  
__Nemo my name forevermore_

_Nemo sailing home_

_Nemo letting go . . ._

Aurora was singing too loudly to gear them knocking at her door. She had been concentrating too hard on Draco and the men's 'secret' conversations to notice that the women had disappeared and were now trying to get past the spirit in her door. The spirit, however, would not let them past without a password and a key.

_Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
__Oh how I wish to dream again  
__Once and for all  
__And all for once  
__Nemo my name forevermore . . ._

_# Nemo - Nightwish #_

The track faded, and Aurora could finally hear the women, prominently Bellatrix, arguing with her door. Laughing quietly to herself, she changed the CD to something louder than Nightwish, which was extremely difficult. Bellatrix's voice just got louder, so to combat it Aurora turned up her music even louder. After about ten minutes, Bellatrix gave up and stalked away. When she and the other women had gone, Aurora slipped out of her room, meaning to follow them. She did not get very far as she lost them in the many corridors, so decided to turn back to her room.

In fact she should have kept following the women, for they were not going to sit alone and make small talk. They were, in truth, going to meet up with the men. They had known all along that she would try and outsmart them, and the whole argue-with-the-door affair had just been for show. They had cast a spell on her to make her believe certain things were happening when they were not, and make her forget other things had happened. Addie was not there to help her though, so she was caught unawares.

Pulling her favourite book out of her case, she walked out onto the balcony, dragging a chair and her duvet with her. The music was still loud, but she turned it down to make it quiet background music rather than thrash-metal. A glance at the sky reminded her that the moon was full tonight, and she quickly blessed the God and Goddess before settling down in the chair, pulling her duvet over her knees. It was also one lunar month to her birthday, she remembered. The sky was cloudless, and the stars were bright. Aurora did not believe in Heaven, being a pagan she believed in reincarnation, but she believed that each of the stars in the sky was a Soul who had had all of its time on Earth, so could not be resurrected and became a star. She knew that this was probably not true of course, but it comforted her to think that maybe Eldara was up there somewhere smiling down on her.

It had started to snow again, and Aurora shivered slightly, pulling the duvet even further around her to cover her abdomen and shoulders as well, glad of its warmth. She continued to gaze at the stars silently for about another ten minutes until she fell asleep, exhausted from her day. Her book fell to the floor, forgotten.

About an hour later a shadow fell over Aurora. She was still fast asleep however and was completely oblivious to what was happening around her. Soon two more shadows joined it, all of them speaking in hushed tones as to not wake the sleeping girl in front of them, who was breathing heavily, showing she was in a deep sleep. The first figure drew out its wand and cast a spell on the girl, forcing her into the deepest sleep possible, a near-coma state of rest. The biggest shadow, a large rounded one with about the same brute strength as a horse, picked up the girl and slung her roughly over its shoulder as if she were nothing but a rag doll. The shadows disappeared into the night, leaving nothing but the chair, which had been knocked over, and the duvet, crumpled on the floor. The book was now tattered from being roughly stepped on, and the wind picked up its pages and blew them out into the snowy night, where they too disappeared.

* * *

**A/N :**

Yes he does [continued from A/N at top]. Nightwish are the best band ever. I love them. #does Tuomas / Emppu impression with Addie# WHOO!

Anyways . . .

Left it a bit cliffhangery didn't I? Next chapter's a good-un if I do say so myself. Full of random crap but great . . . But mucho pages long, about 11 sides A4 size 12 Georgia.

Dedication : Couldn't be bothered to do one at the top. Dammit. Many people have asked me . . . Darly, methinks did. HELLO DARLY! Erm . . . Cat [Star Wars Girl], Addie, anyone else????? Oooh – Tarja, Marco [not from BB], Emppu, Tuomas and Jukka [not so sexy in the flesh but a great drummer]

I own no Nightwish lyrics. Mr T. Holopainen owns them. Or whoever.

Reviewers :

GlitzyDancingShoes : Do you really like it? I thought no one did as I only got 3 reviews . . . but PP's not as popular as HP, so I should have expected it I suppose.

DLSnapeKurama18 : Right . . . You scare me sometimes, you really do. Are you talking about some sort of Anime character or something? #sighs# I never understand some people.

Dazzie : I'll tell you when everyone else knows hun. Might be a while yet though. Keep reading even if you are confudzled.

Cat : HELLO! Keep reading and reviewing mate! Any idea when the next SW film is out?

Addie : It's not my fault you didn't review chapter 18. Wow Tuomas wow. #swoons# I WANT HIS HAT! So close he was life-sized . . .

Claire – No porn sex Claire, that's really not me. Draco is a bit of a prick, but is manipulated slightly by people. **# HINT! #** But yes, Will is sexy. And not at all based on Tuomas #coughs#

Arwen-Georgie-Skye : Eugh Kate Bosworth eugh. Godric eh? We shall see. Have **you** heard of Nightwish?

Having just realised that links don't show up on this, you can see a pic of Tuomas by clicking on my homepage thing on my profile. Thank you.

**_# End of hope, end of love, end of time, the rest is . . . silence #_**


	21. Crownless

**A/N :** This is the big one. The chapter I have been writing since the beginning almost. I really like this chapter, but it is really, really, really long. At 11 sides and 5000 words, it really is the longest chapter I have ever written. It's still not the end though. That's not for a while yet.

Swearing in this chapter. Shocking I know. Do you think the rating should be upped? Please tell me in your review!

* * *

Aurora woke to find herself in an unfamiliar place. The room was small, square, and reminded her somewhat of a cell. There was only a little light, streaming in pathetically through a small window set up high in one of the walls. She could see through the window that the moon was no longer full as it had been the last time she could remember. Trying to move her arms and legs failed, and she could see that they were being held by a strange sort of rope, which on closer inspection she found to be some sort of plant.

_ Where am I?_ she thought to herself silently, still gazing at the moon. By looking at it she could tell that it was about three days after it had been full, making it . . .

_ The 22nd ? Yule? Elda . . . _

A vision seized her suddenly. She had not had one since Addie had gone, but she could sense that this one was somehow different. It seemed more like a flashback. Faces flashed before her now-closed eyes. Lining up for_ that _photograph on the bridge, her arm linked through Eldara's; her mother handing her a newborn baby, most likely Tilly; Will as a small boy running through the field after her; Will, older now, sitting with her under her Tree at the age of about twelve, their first kiss together; Will, even older, about sixteen, sobbing into Olivia's shoulder as Aurora said that she was leaving him to go to Hogwarts; finally herself and Draco looking at her first baby picture – the one of her mother Serena holding Eldara and her father Ben holding Aurora herself. A family. A happy fam . . .

Aurora jerked out of her vision as something hit her stomach violently. The light which now shined brightly into the chamber hurt her eyes, making her head throb and her stomach churn. Nausea nearly overcame her but she fought had not to be sick. She pulled up her head slowly from where it rested on her chest to see that a figure had just entered the chamber, shutting the door behind it.

"Hello Aurora."

She was still fighting down her nausea, but whispered in a barely audible voice, "Draco - ? Why – am – I – here?"

"Many reasons," he replied, moving to stand propped up against the far wall.

"Which – are – what?"

"First and foremost, we believe you are spying on us for . . . someone, and we believe you are not as evil as you claim to be."

"Then why persecute me?"

"The Master wishes to see you."

"Voldem-"

"_Never_ _speak his name!_" Draco cut in. He shifted slightly on his feet, and Aurora could see he was wearing black robes, his wand tucked into his pocket. She presumed he had fired a spell at her stomach to make her come out of her vision.

"Why shouldn't I speak his name?!" Aurora felt her anger rising within her. "He isn't my master!"

"He will be soon." In contrast to Aurora's tone, Draco's voice was getting quieter and more malicious.

"I'll never subject to him. I'd kill myself first."

"That is the reason you are in chains."

"In wouldn't call these chains."

A deep silence fell between them. Draco shifted slightly on his feet, almost nervously.

"Who put you up to this?" asked Aurora quietly after about a minute of silence When Draco looked at her questioningly, she added, "I really can't see you doing this on your own, you're too . . . dependant on others."

"I am not going to answer that question," he answered indignantly.

"I bet I can guess though. Probably your father and Bellatrix." She tried to search his mind for information but found herself unable, as if his mind were blocked to hers. Earlier she had also found herself unable to translocate, and now she feared all of her powers may have gone. Her eyes were still stinging from the light as she had been in the dark for so long, making her head throb and her stomach turn violently.

"Yes, Aurora, you have no powers."

"How . . .?"

"You really should not have told me how to drain you."

"No . . ." The only way to get rid of her powers was a very complicated spell which included taking a piece of her white lock of hair and some of her blood and using this to put her powers into a crystal.

"Yes." Draco held up something, and as it caught the light Aurora could see what it was. A silver chain was caught between his fingers, a large clear crystal pendant hanging from it. When it caught the light again she could see the centre was tinged purple, almost like a scrying crystal.

Aurora could feel tears trickling down her face. She was weak and powerless, and if Voldemort wanted to take her over he would probably be able to now. Her mind was now completely open to Draco's, including all of the thoughts she had not let him see before, private memories of herself and Will, her mother and Eldara. She was helpless. Draco could take complete advantage of her, and she was powerless to resist.

"Pansy put you up to this didn't she?" she murmured.

"She may have had some part in it, yes," he admitted. "But you have said it yourself; you are not 'evil'. Addie made you that way."

"Yes, Draco, but neither am I 'good'. I am me, perfectly neutral, as I am meant to be. It is true that the Spirit make me 'evil', but as she has gone and does not seem to be coming back . . ."

"She has deserted you."

Aurora's head fell to her chest. "She has indeed. I am completely alone in life."

"Yes."

"I will never subject to him. I don't care about torture or whatever you can and will do to me, especially not now. Especially not today."

"Today? Ah yes. Today was the day your precious sister died. I know what happened to her. It is in the darkest recesses of your memory."

"You do?" Aurora pulled her head upright to look him straight in the eye for the first time.

"I do."

"Tell-"

"I think not," he cut in.

"Then please Draco, just fuck off."

"I think you should watch your mouth."

"I can't," she retorted. "My nose sort of gets in the way."

"If you are going to be impertinent-"

"Which is highly likely-"

"I am going."

"Good. Fuck off."

Draco turned from where he had been standing, opened the door sharply and stalked out of the room, once again leaving Aurora alone in her cell. She tried to sleep but could find not rest, so gently and quietly she started to sing to herself random snippets of songs, over and over.

_"Leave me be and   
__Cease to tell me how to feel  
__To grieve   
__To shield myself from evil  
__Leave me be  
__Od of lies is killing me  
__Romanticide  
__Until love do me part . . ._

_One fleeting moment  
__And it is all gone  
__Crownless again  
__Will I fall . . . ?_

_Like a bad star  
__I'm falling faster   
__Down to her  
__She's the only one who knows  
__What it is to burn . . ._

_And if I bleed,  
__I'll bleed knowing you don't care.  
__And if I sleep just to dream of you,  
__I'll wake without you there . . ._

_Just being alive  
__It can really hurt  
__And these moments given   
__Are a gift from time . . ._

_Angry birds and angry voices  
__Under a sky of dust  
__Another wave of tension  
__Has more than filled me up  
__On the talk of taking action  
__I learned these words were never true  
__Now I find myself in question [they point the finger at me again]  
__Guilty by association . . ._

_Some wounds never heal  
__Some tears never will  
__Dry for the unkind  
__Cry for mankind . . ._

_You love the way I look at you  
__While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through  
__You take away if I give in  
__My life, my pride is broken . . . _

_Bury my dreams  
__Dig up my sorrows  
__Oh Lord why?  
__Do the angels fall first . . . ?_

_You like to think you're never wrong  
__You have to act like you're someone  
__You want someone to hurt like you  
__You want to share what you've been through . . ._

_My wounds cry for the grave  
__My Soul cries for deliverance  
__Will I be denied?  
__Artemis  
__Tourniquet  
__My suicide . . ._

_A place to leave   
__All of the memories in my mind  
__I try my life away  
__Yet stumble to the grave  
__I cry and still they say :  
__'The past won't go away'  
__The story of my life . . ._

_I can't seem to find myself again  
__My walls are closing in  
__I've felt this way before  
__So insecure . . ._

_Please, please forgive me  
__But I won't be home again.  
__Maybe some day you'll look up,  
__And barely conscious you'll say to no one,  
__Isn't something missing . . . ?_

_I want to run away  
__Never say goodbye  
__I want to know the truth   
__Instead of wondering why  
__I want to know the answers –  
__No more lies  
__I want to shut the door  
__And open up my mind . . ._

_Red sun rising  
__Drown without inhaling  
__Within the dark holds hard  
__Red sun rising  
__Curtain falling  
__Higher than hope my cure lies . . ._

_You won't cry for my absence I know,  
__You forgot me long ago.  
__Am I that unimportant?  
__Am I so insignificant?  
__Isn't something missing?  
__Isn't someone missing me . . . ? _

_The lust for fame is a deadly game  
__But you can't run the race  
__The pace is too fast  
__You just won't last . . ._

_And I keep on falling for every lie  
__And you . . .  
__I wish I did not feel for you any more . . ."_

Her voice got louder and more raucous until it broke and she collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably. The bonds gave way and she fell from her upright position to the floor, where she cried herself to sleep, aware of the fact that she was probably being watched by about twenty people, including Draco.

Light filtered into her chamber, and Aurora woke with a start. Someone pulled her roughly upwards, forced her hands together behind her back and tied them back together again. A wand was poked into her back, forcing her to move forwards, then again and again until she walked properly. A Death Eater in long dark robes, hooded and masked, stood to both sides of her, and one behind. That one held the ends to her bonds, and it was apparent by the occasional hissing of instructions in her ear who it was. She was pushed down a series of dimly-lit corridors until they reached a large pair of black and silver doors. The Death Eater behind her reached over her shoulder and knocked a number of times on the door, which Aurora took to be a code. After the last knock the doors swung slowly inwards.

Inside there was a large circle of people, all cloaked, hooded and masked except one. His gaze turned to look upon her, and for the first time in her life, Aurora felt small. Like an ant, small enough to be stepped on and squashed, or a fox caught in a car's headlights.

"Thank you Lucius." Even the voice was cold, commanding and condescending. "You may tie her up over there." He pointed a long finger at one of the walls and with a sharp jab in the back Aurora moved over to where he had pointed and was dutifully tied up with the plant again. She glanced down at herself to see that she had changed from when she had last seen herself. Now she was wearing a long plain black dress, which just brushed the floor around her bare and dirty feet.

"Now my dear, what can we do with you?" Voldemort had meant it to be a rhetorical question, but Aurora answered anyway.

"Well. Number one, I suppose you could kill me outright. Number two, you could torture me with your stupid curses until I give you the information or whatever it is that you want. Number three, you could let me go. But I don't think that number three is very likely, or number one. So number two and torture it is then. Bring it on, I say."

Voldemort raised one eyebrow. "You_ want_ to die?"

"Very much so."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Aurora heard Lucius Malfoy murmur something under his breath from his place next to his Master, and Voldemort's face changed. "Ah yes. You want to be with your sister. I am right?"

"Yes," Aurora whispered quietly.

"Then- " Voldemort stopped as there was a number of knocks on the door. Aurora remembered the pattern from when she had entered, and sure enough the doors swung open with a large creak.

"My Lord." It was Narcissa Malfoy, who curtsied as she entered, and another figure dressed in the typical Death Eater robes. "This man-"

"Thank you Narcissa."

"Yes my Lord," Narcissa curtsied again, turned and left.

Voldemort turned to the new figure that had entered the room, raised a pale index finger and beckoned for him to go to the centre of the circle, where Voldemort was now standing. "Well done," he congratulated the man and shook a gloved hand that came out from underneath the cloak. Aurora thought if Voldemort had of hugged someone right at this moment it would have this new man.

"How did you do it?" he asked.

"I have no idea." The man's voice was deep and resonated around the large chamber. Aurora noticed that the air was now tense, and all of the other Death Eaters seemed apprehensive of this new figure.

"You may stand in your rightful place."

"Thank you my Lord." The man moved to stand next to Lucius Malfoy, who tried hard not to shift on his feet. Aurora now noticed that Draco was here too, standing beside his father proudly. He too was hooded and cloaked as a Death Eater, though he was not one yet.

"Now, back to the captive-"

"Is that what I am?" Aurora mused to no one in particular.

Voldemort ignored her comment this time, and continued speaking.

"My Lord?" the new man spoke up.

"Yes."

"What is she accused of?"

"Spying and deception."

Aurora sniggered at this.

"May I examine her?"

"Of course."

The man walked slowly over to where Aurora was. "My Lord, may I-"

"Yes."

All of the Death Eaters were looking in their direction, as if knowing that something big was going to happen, and Aurora felt pressurised to combat whatever this man was going to do to her. But instead of taking out his wand to cast a spell on her, he reached up and took down his hood, then took off his mask. Aurora let out a small gasp, which she tried to cover up with a cough. The man was different to how she had last seen him, but she knew the eyes and rest of his face well.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked her.

"Yes," she whispered. "You're the Child of the Dark."

"Indeed."

"We were right Draco," she raised her head to glance beyond the man to look at Draco. "Addie did go where we thought she did."

"How do _you_ know the Spirit's current name?"

"Well, other than the fact that I've been living with her, no I correct myself, she's been living _in_ me for the last Goddess knows how many years, I would have no idea how I know her name."

"You were the Child of the Dark?"

"Yes, and the Chosen One, I'll have you know. Oh yes, and your daughter. Mustn't forget that one."

"My – The –"

"Oh yes. I'm quite surprised that lot," she indicated the Death Eaters with her head, "actually kept me in here when you came in. They are quite touchy about the fact that I'm your daughter."

"Which one are you?"

"Aurora of course. Dara had fair hair remember?"

"It has been so long. And children change over time." Ben stopped and thought for a moment. "Then if you are my daughter, why can I sense no powers within you?"

"_He_ has taken them."

"He being?"

"Draco," she practically snarled.

Ben turned back to the circle of Death Eaters, who were staring at them in disbelief. Taking a few large strides forwards, he grabbed Draco's hood and mask and pulled them off roughly, whereupon they clattered to the floor. Grasping hold of Draco's ear, he pushed him towards where Aurora stood tied to the wall. When Lucius Malfoy started to protest, he hissed, "Bugger off Malfoy," under his breath and continued pushing Draco forwards, still holding him by the ear like a small naughty child. When they reached Aurora, he let go of Draco's ear and moved round to have his back to Aurora and his front to Draco and the Death Eaters. "You little - " he moved to punch Draco, but Aurora cried out.

"Ada!"

Ben turned back to face her. "I've always wanted someone to call me that," he said, half-smiling. "Now what?"

"Don't – "

"Don't what? Don't hit him? He has hurt you badly selde, and something must be done about it."

"Yes, but not in – not in that way."

Ben glanced from Draco to Aurora then back to Draco again. "Oh, so it's like that is it?" he said to no one in particular, except maybe himself. Then, grabbing Draco by the hair, he forcibly removed the chain from around Draco's neck. Then he shoved Draco back into his place in the circle, and Aurora could not help but to smile. She also noticed that he had had the chain around his neck, close to his heart, and she wondered if this was symbolic and that it meant he _did_ still like her, or if that was just where he had decided at put it.

"You do anything to her again -" Ben warned.

"I have a feeling he won't," said Aurora quietly.

"So you were - "

"Yes."

"So what to do now?"

"You can get me out of these bonds, give me my powers back and then we need to talk."

"What about?" Ben asked as he slowly released her from the bonds, which were tight and had cut into her wrists, making deep cuts.

"Your other daughter, your ex-wife, my two best friends and their mother." Ben placed the chain around Aurora's neck, and she breathed a deep sigh of relief as she felt her powers and strength returning to her.

"So that would be Eldara, Serena, Mara and Will I'm guessing are your best friends, and Liv. What about them?"

Aurora sank to her knees on the floor. "One is dead, one has had three children, one is the Chosen Child of the Light and doesn't know it, one was my boyfriend for five years, and one . . . One has been . . ."

"Would that be Liv?"

"However did you guess?" Aurora laughed for the first time for a while.

"So your mother has had three more children?"

"Tilly, Isolde and Conan, yes."

"Who with?"

"Jon Wilson. Remember him?"

"Really? That bastard! He was my best friend!"

"Friends change," Aurora said, looking over to where Draco was still rubbing his head from where Ben had grabbed his hair.

"Right. Then Will would have been your boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"From what I have heard of him he seems nice."

"He –" Aurora stopped. "Wait a second. You've talked to him?!"

"Yes."

"When?"

"About five days ago. He sent me a letter saying you were going to be here now, and that I should come and 'rescue' you."

"What has he told you? How did you know to trust him?"

"Not a lot. It was more like a brief note. The way he signed it showed he was genuine."

"How did he know I was going to be here?"

"I have no idea."

"Back to people then. Eldara is the Chosen Child of the Light?"

"Wrong. That is Mara, Liv's other child."

"Then Eldara is . . ."

"Dead," Aurora whispered.

"How – When - ?"

"Ten years today. As to how, I still have no idea."

"What date is it?"

"Yule."

"Already?"

"Yes."

"Then –"

Suddenly the room went even darker than it already was. A dark swirling mist emitted from Ben's mouth and trailed to the centre of the circle to be next to Voldemort. First a head appeared in the mist, and then a dark-robed body attached to the head stepped out of the mist, yet it still seemed to be surrounded by darkness. Its white hair was flying, and its amber eyes glowed, looking exceptionally abnormal in all of the darkness. The Dark Lord stared at it in disbelief, and Aurora and Ben smiled at each other, meeting eyes for the first time properly. Ben searched her face quickly.

"You look just like your mother," he said. "Except your eyes and hair, I think we can blame those on me. Other than that, you are so much like her." He pulled at a piece of his own hair, which, though now tinged around the edges with grey, was still dark as a raven's wing, with a slight blue-black sheen like Aurora's did when it was first washed. "Who did Dara look like?"

The figure cleared its throat, but still Aurora carried on talking. "Both you and Amme."

"Are you on speaking terms with Serena?"

"Sort of. I was for about three days, but then Lana -"

"She still around?" Ben cut in.

"Yes. Anyway, the Lana said I had had something to do with your escape, and Amme believed her –" The figure cleared its throat even more loudly. "Even though it was Addie."

"Me?" asked the figure.

"Yes, you."

"Me? Addie, Arduriel, Spirit of the Dark, Blaith na Morth, Lucifer, Set, Eris, Loki, Hades, Lilith, Satan, most evil thing in the entire known universe and therefore the ultimate evil -"

"Stop bragging Addie. We know how 'great' you are already," interrupted Aurora.

"This lot don't!" retorted Addie.

While Addie kept bragging to Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Aurora continued to talk to her father. Ben had not been in contact with a Morion sorcerer face-to-face for over sixteen years, and he needed to know all that had been happening, both in the muggle and magical worlds, as well as what had been happening in all of the sorcerer Orders.

"How did Dara die?"

"I have no idea. We were playing in the field near the house, the one with our Trees and all of the daisies – that field was always strange because even in two feet of snow, there were always daisies and roses growing there – anyway, we were making a daisy chain, and then I woke up three days later after blacking out." Aurora found tears pouring down her face, as always happened when she thought about Eldara.

"Come here." Ben put his arm around her shoulder and she buried her head into his shoulder. After about a minute he gently pulled her head upright, and put a finger on each of her temples. "Do you want to see?" After Aurora nodded, he slowly reached into her mind and unblocked a part of the darkest recesses of her memory. Aurora gasped as a sharp pain seared through her mind. She felt herself fall to lie flat on the floor, but could not do anything to resist the visions that came to her.

_- - - - - Flashback as seen through the eyes of Aurora - - - - -_

_I catch up with my sister's outstretched hand and we run through the fields away from the house. As we get to the edge of the woods she turns to look back up at the house and I automatically turn with her to see our Amme standing there. She is smiling, and looks regal in this cool yuletide sunlight. We run quickly through the close-packed pine trees and out of the other side of the small copse, back out into the fields. I love this field with its long grass, flowers all year round and strangely coloured rose bushes. It also has all of our Trees – mine, Dara's, Will's and Mara's. Mine is a willow, Dara's a rowan, Will's a stately oak and Mara's a silver birch. I have often wondered if the choice of our Tree was something to do with our personality, or if they were totally random pickings. I know Amme has 'tampered' with this field, but I really do not care. Eldara drags me towards the small stream and my Tree, the willow, at the bottom of the field, the place where the daisies grow all year round, even in the deepest winter and the frosts. I look up from where I have been staring at the small narcissi at my feet at the shout of my sister's voice, barely recognising the fact that she let go of my hand about a minute ago._

_She is standing on the bank of the stream, cold golden sunlight streaming down her blonde hair. We are so different, her and I, yet so the same. We both have the same eyes, our father's eyes so we have always been told. Other than that, we are complete opposites. She is quiet, fair-headed and gets her way by being subtle; I am loud, dark-headed and I get my way by being brash and by asking upfront what I would like._

_She points a little way along the bank, where Mara and Will are sitting - Mara is making a daisy chain and Will is reading a book. We are two completely different sets of twins. It could be to do with the fact that they are a boy and a girl and Dara and I are both girls, but I think that it goes deeper than that. Purpose decided it, and so it must be, as Amme has always said._

_I run up to sit with Mara, and help her continue the chain that she is making, and she smiles at me sweetly. She is talking to me, but I cannot be bothered to reply. When she says it is getting dark and will soon be time for Yule dinner, I reply that Dara and I will be up to the house in about ten minutes. Will stands up, links arms with an already-standing Mara, and they walk slowly up through the long grass and into the copse._

_Eldara comes to sit next to me. Her face, like an angel's framed with its blonde hair, smiles at me and reminds me how much I love her, and how much I depend on her. She hands me a chain she has been making with alternate black and white daisies, before taking it from me again and pulling it over my head, being careful not to snap its think cords. Her little face screws up in concentration as she tries to get it over one of my ears, and when she has finally done this she lies it over the top of my dress, an keeps adjusting it until it is perfect for her. She is like that, extremely precise in everything that she does. _

_I hear a rustle in the grass behind me. Eldara looks up, and I see her mouth form a small 'o', her eyes widening in fear._

_"What?" I ask her, but she just keeps staring, still as a statue._

_I turn. A figure stands there. It has long hair but looks neither male nor female. The hair is white and just brushes the ground, and its eyes are amber, almost catlike. It is robed in black, and the aura of power radiating from it is almost overbearing. The aura is different from that of mother's however. Hers is good; this figure's is dark and evil. The figure raises an arm, and a ball of dark fire appears on its palm. It moves, and shoots this ball directly at my sister. I scream and throw my body across hers, but the fire goes straight through me and into Dara, and she does not even have time to scream. I prise my body away from hers, which lies still on the ground, eyes open and unblinking._

_"That was not meant for you," the figure hisses. "But this is." It produces another ball of flame, and throws it straight at me._

_- - - - - End of flashback - - - - -_

Aurora sat up suddenly. She had fallen to the floor, and her father was crouched to one side of her, and Draco to the other. The circle of Death Eaters had broken up, and they were sitting on chairs scattered through the room. Addie and Voldemort were deep in conversation in the far corner from Aurora, who stood up quickly. Her legs still felt unsteady, but she grasped her father for support, as she did not even want to touch Draco after what he had said and done to her. Facing Addie, and hissing through clenched teeth, she said, "You!"

"Me?" asked Addie with mock surprise, a look of amusement on her face. [A/N : Addie can be either male, female or of no gender. At the moment she is female i.e. why I have been putting 'she said' etc.]

"You – You – You killed her!" Aurora could feel the tears streaming down her face.

"It had to be done," said Addie simply.

"Why?! I loved her and you knew that. I nearly died because of you!"

"That fire I threw at you only hurts 'good' things. As you were destined to be the Chosen Child of the Dark, it would not hurt you. Eldara was destined to be the Chosen Child of the Light, and I knew that if you met her in the Final Battle, you would let your emotions control over gut instinct and she would win. So I killed her."

"You killed Dara?" Ben sounded shocked.

"Now you catch on," said Addie.

"But – you - " Ben was speechless.

"_I never want to see you again_," hissed Aurora. "_Go and never, never ever come back._"

"Oh come on Aurora, surely you can see why I did it? I need to win this Battle, and so do you. We lose, we both die. Well, you die and I get destroyed, but still -"

"_Never want to see you again_." Aurora said before she shimmered and disappeared, telling no one where she was going.

* * *

**A/N :**

Hope you liked it. You won't be getting another chapter for a while people, sorry. I can't be bothered to write. Well, I can, but it's all a bit odd.

**Dedication** : Erm. I don't know really. DLSnapeKurama18 for being the only person that I **don't** know to review the last chapter. Where has Arwen gone? And glitzy? #sniffs# No one loves me!

**Peeps**

**DLSnapeKurama18** : Those shoes are called New Rocks. Have you heard of them? I have a pair of the ankle boots. They rock, they really do, but they are quite expensive. #finds currency converter# £100 = $185! A lot, I know, but well worth it. Have **you** heard of Nightwish?

**Katie Bloom :** #sniffs again# Why are you being mean to my future husband? He is already depressed and you go and insult him! Eugh Busted eugh. I'll have to agree to disagree I suppose. #sighs# Some people don't understand my mind.

**Clairie** : No, no porn. Draco is a bit of a fag. Aurora rocks! Busted are shite. Tuomas is sexy and you insulted him too! #cries and runs away from evil people insulting Tuomas# At least James thinks he's cool! [Yes Addie, _James_]

**Dazzie** : I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Ask and I'll tell. Though not here obviously!

**Other people : PLEASE REVIEW BOTH CHAPTERS!**

I also need some help. If you spot any mistakes in earlier chapters [eg. Things not fitting in with the story now, spelling / grammar errors etc.] could you please tell me so I can change them? THANK YOU!

Oh, and also do you think Draco would go to a [rock] concert? Just a thought for later on . . .

**About 30 minutes after Willow put the chapter up, she had to change it again :**

At the asking of a new reviewer [LizaGirl –HI!] these are the names and artists of all of the songs which Aurora sings at the top. Note that wherever there are three dots [ . . . ] it means that the song changes. # down here means through until the dots.

_Leave me be and # Until love do me part _= Romanticide by Nightwish [from the album 'Once']

_One fleeting moment # Will I fall?_ = Crownless by Nightwish [from the album 'Wishmaster' – note that this is also the chapter title]

_Like a bad star # What it is to burn_ = What It Is To Burn by Finch [from the album 'What It Is To Burn']

_And if I bleed # I'll wake without you there_ = Missing by Evanescence [from the 'Demos 2001-2002' and the 'Bring Me To Life' single]

_Just being alive # Are a gift from time_ = Moments of Pleasure by Kate Bush [from the album 'The Red Shoes]

_Angry birds and angry voices_ # _Guilty by association _= Runaway by Linkin Park [from the album 'Hybrid Theory]

_Some wounds never heal_ # _Cry for mankind _= The Kinslayer by Nightwish [from the album 'Wishmaster']

_You love the way I look at you # My life, my pride is broken _= Points of Authority by Linkin Park [from the album 'Hybrid Theory']

_Bury my dreams_ # _Do the angels fall first _= Angels Fall First by Nightwish [from the album 'Angels Fall First']

_You like to think you're never wrong_ # _You want to share what you've been through_ = Points of Authority by Linkin Park [from the album 'Hybrid Theory']

_My wounds cry for the grave_ # _My suicide _= Tourniquet by Evanescence [from the album 'Fallen' – changed slightly though]

_A place to leave _# _The story of my life_ = Story Of My Life by Kristian Leontiou [not sure what the album is called]

_I can't seem to find myself again_ # _So insecure_ = Crawling by Linkin Park [from the album 'Hybrid Theory']

_Please, please forgive me_ # _Isn't something missing_ = Missing by Evanescence [from the 'Demos 2001-2002' and the 'Bring Me To Life' single]

_I want to run away_ # _And open up my mind_ = Runaway by Linkin Park [from the album 'Hybrid Theory]

_Red sun rising # Higher than hope my cure lies_ = Higher Than Hope by Nightwish [from the album 'Once']

_You won't cry for my absence I know # Isn't someone missing me?_ = Missing by Evanescence [from the 'Demos 2001-2002' and the 'Bring Me To Life' single]

The last bit is mish-mashed with all sorts of different songs, including Dead Boy's Poem by Nightwish [from the album 'Wishmaster'], The Kinslayer by Nightwish [from the album 'Wishmaster'] and Points of Authority by Linkin Park [from the album 'Hybrid Theory']

Hope that helps!


	22. Dry Your Eyes

**A/N :**

Terve lapset!! I hope you are all having good holidays … mine have been a bit random …

I've been doing nothing and writing nothing because all of my resources have run dry in my mind. This is serious writer's block. Worse than ever before … I hate it!!

This is a relatively short chapter [compared to the last one] but is obviously quite vital to the story. I tried to make it sad … but I don't do sad, so it's a bit shitty. I'm really sorry. I'm just not a sad person at the moment. I go hyper at the smallest of things [new Tuomas pics, new NW news, in Waterstones …] and for that I apologise most profusely.

Dedication : Addie's teddy bear and the keyboard shagger. Why?? For being so godddessdamn gorgeous!! Also LizaGirl and VoldemortsVeela, my two new reviewers!!

Anyway, on with the chapter …

* * *

Aurora did not know where she was. She had translocated out of that place as quickly as possible, and she had ended up in the middle of a wood. Still feeling sick and now dizzy as well from a bad landing after her translocation, she sent out a weak thought to the only person she thought she could trust : Will. She definitely did not trust Draco now, and she was not entirely sure about her father yet. Will was the nearest to her at the moment as he only lived in London, and he would make sure everyone else who may have been worrying about her, such as her mother, Liv and Amy.

Starting to walk, she found herself unable as her legs were very weak and she kept stumbling, her bare feet catching on her long dress and the leafy, muddy floor, which was now more like mush with the snow and mud. She glanced up at the sky and estimated it to be about three to four o'clock in the morning. Three hours into the day when she would have been in intense mourning for her beloved sister. The sister that Addie had killed right in front of her eyes, then made it so that Aurora had thought that she had blacked out before it had happened. Finally she tripped and fell to the cold floor, hitting her head on a large branch as she fell. She felt that she could go to sleep, just there and then, and never wake up.

"Shit Rors."

Aurora lifted her head to the sound of the familiar voice. Will stood there, long dark hair dishevelled. "What the fuck happened?" he asked, gazing at her intently. There were deep circles under his brilliant green eyes, and his jeans had rips in them, but she did not care. He was there at the moment she needed him, and he was perfect. She put her head back down to the floor and started to cry again, sobs wracking through her already fragile body.

Will came to sit beside her and gently placed one hand on her hair feeling the strands like silk between his fingers. "Want to talk about it?" he asked finally when Aurora had seemed to have calmed down slightly. She slowly started to explain what had happened between sobs, from when they had last seen each other, through all that had happened at Draco's house, up to waking up in her cell and feeling totally alone, to her meeting Voldemort, seeing her father and finally how Addie had killed Eldara.

"You sent a note to my father?" she asked finally.

"Yes."

"How -"

"My Amme told me after she had a vision. Her first for ten years."

"You can congratulate Liv when you next see her."

"I will. And Rors, I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

"Everything since you left me. I've been selfish. You love him, and I get in the way."

"Oh fuck Draco. I don't care about him any more. They can all burn in . . ." She stopped, remembering that she did not believe in Heaven or Hell. "They can all just burn!" she said defiantly. "They can die for I care. Draco betrayed me and sold me to Voldemort as if I were nothing but property . . . bastard. Addie, well other than the fact that she killed my sister, she deserted me. Bitch. Evil cow. Slag." She paused again, this time to think. Then, sitting up, for she had still been lying down on the ground, she said, "But somehow I need them both. And I need you too." She sighed heavily and sank her head onto his shoulder, "What the fuck am I going to do Will?"

"Well, you could come and live with me for a couple of weeks until you get sorted out."

"Are you sure?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I'll sleep on the sofa if I have to."

"Thanks!" She kissed him lightly on the cheek before slipping slowly into sleep, her head still on his shoulder.

Waking up later, she found that it was light, and Will had gone. He ha pulled a blanket over her, and she found a note pinned on the tree next to her head. "Poor tree," she murmured. Aurora had always loved trees, especially willows, as her Tree was a weeping willow.

Taking the note from the tree, she saw it was in Will's handwriting_. "Don't know whether you know, you are in the woods near the Manor. There are loads of D.E.'s stalking about looking for someone / something, most likely you so I'd be careful. Have seen your father briefly and he didn't seem to recognise me, so I walked past him and patted him on the shoulder on the way past – he didn't flinch or anything – quite scary. Anyway, I'll meet you out at the front of the Manor at about eight o'clock. And Rors, be careful. Love Will x x x." _

Aurora stood up, pulling the blanket around her shoulders, which had been left bare by the dress they had put her in. It had started to snow again, turning colder with every passing moment. She walked out of the wood cautiously, the note in her hand, searching frantically with her eyes all around her the entire time. Wandering slowly through a field, she kicked the long snow-covered grass, half with anger and half with sadness. What was happening to her? One moment she was fine and perfectly happy, the next she was angry and falling apart internally, and it was not a bad case of PMT. She sighed heavily, glanced around once more and translocated to her room.

Ben was sitting on her bed. He was changed into normal muggle clothes now, and he had his feet up on the bed. Aurora waved her hand casually and they were jerked roughly onto the floor.

"Selde," Ben said simply.

"Ada," was her equally short and simple reply.

"You ran away."

"Indeed. I wasn't really that far away though."

"In the woods?"

"Yes."

"Who was the boy?"

Aurora moved through the room tidying the mess of a floor into trunks or translocating it to Will's flat.

"Fine then, don't answer me," her father said to himself. "Where are you going?"

Aurora finished packing her trunk, heaved it upright and translocated that too to Will's. "A friend's," she answered, sitting at the desk and picking up a quill. She wrote two letters quickly, the first to Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, thanking them for their 'generous hospitality', and the second to Draco. She left no contact address on either of the letters; although she knew that they could find her if they tried hard enough. Then, feeling extremely nice, she found an old sock and left it with a note for the house elf that she knew had cleaned, or tried to clean, her room whilst she had been here. She hoped the elf could read, for the note wished it good luck and happy freedom.

She looked down at herself and with a flick of her hand she changed into a black dress, long indigo coat and pair of high-heeled black boots. Her hair she left nearly natural, adding small pieces of silver ribbon underneath for effect.

"Selde, you really must tell me where you are going," Ben said, standing up and coming to stand in front of her.

Aurora moved around him deftly and picked up her rucksack, the last of her possessions still in the flat. "A friend's."

"Yes, you've already said that, but which friend?"

"If you look hard enough, you can probably find me."

"I don't want to have to find you. I just want you to be safe."

"I will be."

"Are -"

"Yes, I'm sure." She turned to leave, then stopped and turned back. "Oh, and Ada," she added. "Go and find Liv. She's been worried sick about you."

"Does she -"

"Yes, she still loves you, and I believe you still love her too. Go and find her, and be happy."

"Will I-"

"Yes, you'll see me again soon. Right now, I need to go and mourn for my sister."

"Right."

Aurora turned back around, shimmered slightly then disappeared. She ended up standing at the front of the Manor, at the top of the long straight drive. Will was not there, so she started to walk slowly.

_Of all the things I've believed in  
__I just want to get it over with  
__Tears form behind my eyes but I do not cry  
__Counting the days that pass me by . . ._

Trying hard not to cry, she continued walking, aware that there were people behind her, watching her. She should be happy as she had just found her father, the one person she had most wanted to meet for so long, but she was leaving someone she now knew that she loved dearly. She was throwing away a chance at happiness, but he had betrayed and deceived her.

_I've been searching deep down in my soul  
__Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
__Feels like I'm starting all over again  
__The last few months were just pretend  
__And I said . . . _

_Goodbye to you  
__Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
__You were the one I loved  
__The one thing that I tried to hold on to . . . _

But had she not used him just to get closer to his way of life, to find out about Voldemort? He had not been mad at her then, just a bit annoyed. Was this worse, or the same? Should she leave? And if she should, should it be with Will or someone else? Leaving with Will was bound to only make him more jealous than he seemed to be already of their relationship. So many questions and no time to make up her mind properly.

_I still get lost in your eyes  
__And it seems that I can't live a day without you  
__Closing my eyes you case my thoughts away  
__To a place where I am blinded by the light  
__But it's not right _

_Goodbye to you  
__Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
__You were the one I loved  
__The one thing that I tried to hold on to . . . _

Tears were now freely running down her cheeks. Tears for all that she had lost. Tears for what she was about to lose. Tears for Eldara. Tears for her mother, who was grieving too. Tears for Will, who was caught between doing what he should do and what he wanted to do. Tears for her father, so new into her life and now losing her again after finding out he only had one daughter left. Tears for herself, trapped between two people, one she had thought she loved and one who loved her.

_It hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time  
__I want what's yours and I want what's mine  
__I want you but I'm not giving in this time . . ._

Should she give in to her feelings and turn around to apologise about everything that had happened? Should she beg for his forgiveness? It was true that he would be at the Final Battle, as she and so may others had Seen in visions, but it had never said why he was there. Was he there to support her, or betray her? Will was there too, and it had also never said why he was there, and which one she was with, if either of them.

_Goodbye to you  
__Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
__You were the one I loved  
__The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

___   
  
__Goodbye to you  
__Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
__You were the one I loved  
__The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
_

_And when the stars fall  
__I will lie awake because  
__You are my shooting star . . . _

The song had been turning over and over in her head, a constant reminder of what was happening. She could not stop what she had already started could she? She could not go and apologise now. She _would_ not go and apologise now. She must keep walking, and not turn back . . .

And yet the temptation to turn back was too great, so she gave in and turned to look at the Manor. There were many people standing on balconies, watching her. With one quick flick of her wrist, she made most of them forget what they meant to be looking at, and they turned and went back inside. The few that she did want to see her leave, she left looking at her. Her father stood on what had been her balcony, surveying the view as well as watching her. He was joined on her balcony by Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, who were intently watching her walk away, as was Bellatrix Lestrange. They were not bothering her too much. It was someone else that concerned her.

On the balcony next to her own, a lone figure stood. Even though she was so far away, she could see the tears on his cheeks, mirroring those on hers. She tried hard not to listen to the thoughts in his mind, but he was searching for hers, and she had to listen. Eventually she blocked out his mind to hers, turned and continued walking. His mind practically screamed to hers, and she sobbed once, biting her lip to try and stop her tears, but they would not stop pouring. She could not wait for Will anymore, she needed to go now, and so she shimmered and disappeared.

_Dry your eyes mate  
__I know it's hard to take  
__But her mind has been made up  
__There's plenty more fish in the sea . . ._

_Dry your eyes mate  
__I know you want to make her see  
__How much this pain hurts  
__But you've got to walk away now  
__It's over . . . _

* * *

**A/N**:

Aw!! Oh no!! Whatever will happen??

The first song is Goodbye To You by Michelle Branch and the second one is Dry Your Eyes by The Streets.

**People** :

**Addie Le Folle :** Well, you're back from France now … Hello!! A backstage pass, a roll of toilet paper, he must be … [hee hee!] Draco is sweet, leave him alone … Actually, I've gone off TAF now … buuuuuuuugger …

**Katie Bloom :** Hello chicken!! Glad you liked the last chapter!! We converted you!! Whoo!! Go you and your liking of Jukka-ness!! I've made your CD – it's pretty good if I do say so myself … As to whether he's under the imperius curse or not … you'll have to wait and see …

**Clairie** : Busted are shite. Complete and utter shite. I'm updating this one … not the other one … do you still hate me for giving Katie the photo??

**DLSnapeKurama18** : I want a bass!! Damn Addie and her wanting-ness of bass … I'm getting a keyboard instead … where do you live again?? #checks# Nightwish are going to near where you live … I think … they're going to the Phantasy Theater in Cleveland on the 23rd… do you live there?? You should go and see them!! They are amazing!! It depends what sort of music you like, I suppose … what do you like?? If you like rock [metal-ish] you'll like them … actually they are open to anybody … even Busted fans #smiles at Katie#

**VoldemortsVeela **: Hello!! I've updated!!

**Arwen-Georgie-Skye :** When are you going to update mate?? I'm missing your story so much … Is _your_ name Elizabeth?? Of course Will and Aurora kissed – they were together for five years … Dammit I wanted him to go to a Nightwish concert … I think he'd get freaked out … I've upped the rating to a PG-13 … I think …

**LizaGirl**: Hello!! I put all of the songs in the last chapter at the end – I don't know if you saw that … Please keep reading and reviewing!!

* * *

**_Yökyöpeli ... Tää on taas niin tätä ..._**


	23. I Am Black : I Am White : I Am The Blood...

**A/N:**

You can't have failed to notice the fact that my penname has changed once more ... I didn't like WITFLAG, so Swanheart I am ...

Very short chapter, I know. Very much written on the spur of the moment so excuse mistakes and the fact that it's not that good.

# denotes what Aurora sees in a vision or flashback #

* * *

Aurora had thought that her powers had returned to her fully, but she had been wrong. Somehow she was translocated, not to London, but to a cliff top in a place she did not recognise. 

_Or perhaps this was meant to happen_, she thought to herself as she looked around gingerly.

There was nothing in sight except the land that she was standing on and the great blue expanse of the sea. No people, no houses, and not even an animal grazed on the land. No ships sailed on the sea, and the only sound she could hear were the great waves crashing onto the rocks far below her.

Slowly she walked towards the cliff edge to look down to the sea below. She could see a small sandy beach hidden in a cove, but there was no way for her to get down to the beach. Normally she would have translocated down to the beach, but as her translocation skills seemed to have gone, she would have to settle for getting down the steep cliff-side another way. She formed the image of a gull in her mind and slipped slowly into it, grateful of the simplicity of the gull's mind. Fighting off the sudden urge to catch fish, she floated for a while on the thermals of air, glad of their warmth for it was cold.

Eventually she made her way down to the beach, landing back in her own form. She took of her boots, and, clutching them in one hand and her rucksack in the other, she picked her way carefully around the cove to some rock pools that were lying just above the sand. Along her way she stopped to pick up stones and shells, as she had always collected small tokens of nature. Some of these she put in her bag, remembering the nature code 'take only memories, leave only footprints' but not really caring about it. She did not care for very much any more. Her long dress and coat brushed the floor, picking up sand as she walked.

She wondered if Will had gone to the Manor yet and found that she was not there. Her father would probably guess now that she had gone to his flat, and would find her there. _But would he_? she asked herself. Her father knew she wanted to be alone, as much as he wanted to see her. There would be time for her to see him later.

On reaching the rock pools, she found that there was one rock that stuck above the rest, sort of like a small stage. She threw her bag and boots down on the open sand and virtually ran towards it. As she ran somewhere a floodgate in her memory opened and she screamed in pain as vision-like images hit her.

# A small child in a knee-length white dress bound at the waist by a small red sash running along the same rocks as Aurora herself now sat on, her blonde hair unbound and flying, sea spray coating her from head to foot in a thin layer of water. She dropped to her knees in a sort of bow, and then stood with her arms open wide. #

"Eldara?" Aurora stuttered before the vision gripped her once more.

# Another child, older now, perhaps eleven or twelve, wearing a dress identical to the one the small girl had worn, only longer, calf-length rather than knee-length. Her hair too was long and blonde, and it too was unbound and flying in a swift sea breeze. Waves lapped at her pale feet. #

"But . . . she . . . dead . . ."

# The final girl was not so much a girl as a young woman. The dress she wore was virtually identical to the one the other two girls had been wearing, but this time it was ankle-length. Her mass of blonde wavy hair stretched all of the way down her back to finish just before her bottom, and this time it was bound slightly by being pulled back by small silver clips at her temples. Her eyes were large and bright blue, the colour of the sea in front of the rock that she was kneeling on. Her arms were stretched out to the sea, praising it almost, embracing the ocean. #

Aurora's vision/flashback ended, leaving her head and her eyesight spinning. She had fallen when the vision had hit her, and she was now stretched out on the rocks. Water trickled into her ear, and she reached up to wipe it away and found that it was not water but her blood. Slowly she felt the top of her head, and found a large graze above her ear. Her hands and arms were scraped too, blood oozing from the cuts.

Slowly she sat up, her dizziness subsiding slightly. Was it Eldara that she had seen, or some other child? The first girl had really looked like her, but she had not got old enough to be the second or third figures ... had she? Aurora sighed. Too much had happened over the past few days for her to even contemplate the fact that her sister could still be alive somewhere.

"I'm not alive," whispered a voice from in front of her.

Aurora looked up and into brilliant blue eyes. A hand touched her cheek lightly, but when she reached to touch it she felt nothing. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes once more, and she fought to hold them back.

"I just thought you needed to know that I'll always be here if you need me."

"Why are you here?"

"I am here because your heart called for me to be here."

"My heart ..."

"Your heart begged me to come. The Otherworld Elders thought I should come and see you. They feared you would try to take your own life."

"Goddess knows I've tried ... but it is not possible for me to."

"Indeed."

"What are you?"

"A sort of a ghost."

Aurora changed the subject as she was uncomfortable with ghosts. "I thought you wouldn't grow up."

"We age in the Otherworld until we reach eighteen summers."

"Then what?"

"I do not know."

"I feel so lost without you Dara. I do not know if I can survive this test."

"You must. Draco knew not what he did for he was under a curse."

Aurora raised one eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes."

"He ..." Her face turned dark. "Who put it on him?"

"You must not seek revenge muinthel." [A/N: sister]

"But ..."

"Do not argue with me."

"That is the first time you have ever told me directly to do something ..."

"I have changed in the ten years we have been apart as much as you have."

Eldara sighed. "I am afraid I must leave you now."

"Why ...?"

"Amme needs me. Her grief equals yours on this day." Eldara stood up. "And Rora?"

"Yes?"

"Avo estel awartho." [A/N: Do not abandon hope]

"Estel er olor aen." [A/N: Hope is only an illusion]

Eldara seemed to sigh, then shimmered slightly and disappeared, much like a normal sorceress did when translocating.

Aurora put down her head and cried. It seemed that she had been doing a lot of this recently, but she did not care.

_One more night  
__To bear this nightmare  
__What more do I have to say?_

Eldara had said that Draco had been under a curse, and her sister would never lie to her. Which of the three curses would make him act in the way that _they_ wanted him to act? Was it the imperius curse?

_Crying for me was never worth a tear  
__My lonely soul is only filled with fear ..._

Surely her sister would not lie to her? Unless that ghost-type thing had not really been her sister ...

_Long hours of loneliness  
__Between me and the sea ..._

She could have been an illusion to make her think that Eldara was really still with her, in her heart, created by someone to help her get through all of this ...

_Losing emotion  
__Finding devotion ..._

But she had certainly looked and spoken like Eldara would have done ten years on ... and she had known things only a sorceress would have known, things about the Otherworld ...

_Should I dress in white and search the sea?  
__As I always wished to be ..._

Aurora had not been able to touch the mind of the ghost like she could with all of the ones at Hogwarts. Had she really been a ghost? Or had she been an illusion ...

_One with the waves  
__Ocean Soul ..._

Her mind was going in complete circles. She wanted to scream and sob until her voice was hoarse and her tears were no more. For some reason her throat would let out no sound, though tears still streamed down her face, cutting through the salt that the sea had left there. Her mind spun ...

_Walking the tideline  
__I hear your name  
__Is angels whispering  
__Something so beautiful it hurts ..._

Slowly Aurora stood up. Her hair hung in her face, matted with sand that had been lying on the rocks and the blood from the cut on her head. Her hands were still bleeding, bloody oozing from the cuts. One gash she did not remember being there before she now saw, snaking its way on her inner left forearm from her palm to her elbow, a long thin cut. Looking down to her right hand, she saw a small knife was now there, blood upon the blade. She had no idea how it had got there ...

_I only wished to become something beautiful  
__Through my music, through my silent devotion ..._

She moved forwards, towards the tide line. The tide was coming in, and she stepped into the water. It was cold around her ankles but she did not care as she waded deeper and deeper into the sea. When it reached her waist she stopped and turned back up to face the cliffs and beach.

A lone figure stood atop the cliff. She knew who it was, and wished he was not here to see her do what she thought she had to do. She threw the knife with all her might at him, and it flew straight and true, guided by her will, to land at his feet.

Aurora turned back to the sea and continued walking. When it reached her shoulders she stopped again, but did not turn back. She took one more step forwards and plunged off the shelf into the depths of the dark black sea ...

_Losing emotion  
__Finding devotion  
__Should I dress in white and search the sea?  
__As I always wished to be  
__One with the waves  
__Ocean Soul ..._

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**A/N:**

So? Good chapter or not? I wrote it after I wrote the next chapter [which I do have, but none of you will read until you all review]

The song is Ocean Soul by Nightwish. I hate it because it makes me cry whenever I hear it now that I know what it's about properly. I always knew it was a sad song, but I didn't realise ... #cries# Poor, poor Tuomas ...

**Dedication** : Alexi Laiho. I don't know why, it just seems right #sighs# Damn Kimberly Goss ... If you don't know who he is, look him up in a search engine. I happen to find him attractive [I still don't know why]. Also Tony Kakko because he rocks [I don't find him attractive, for the record]. And Janne Warman because he rocks too and is strangely attractive.

**People:**

Clairie: No porn. No Will and Rora. It won't happen so stop asking ... Busted are _shite_. Get it into your head!!! There is nothing good about them. Where are the lead guitarists when they play on TV?? There are lead guitar parts, but they only ever play rhythm ...

Arduriel Vuorinen: Terve! Mitä kuuluu? En puhu suomea ... Your teddy bear rocks [literally] Found out why the Nightingale sings yet??

DLSnapeKurama18: How old are you?? You really should see Nightwish. Even if you have no idea who they are ... Addie may kill me for encouraging you to like them [we want as little competition for our future husbands as possible] but you seem like a decent person ... what sort of music do you like [bands]? Bleh pop bleh. Evil, evil, evil music ...

A-G-S/Elizabeth: I've read your chapter[s] that you put up. I think it's been two since I last updated ... Will is sweet ... but somehow I feel Draco is better, regardless of how mean he's been ... You will update again soon right??

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**#Thou art born for Horus dwells in thee#**


	24. You Could Have Chosen A Different Course...

**A/N :** Well. I'm back. I don't know how many of you are still out there, but I am back. I can't guarantee that there won't be a massive pause again, but I do the best I can. I've got my GCSEs coming up, and this is going to be a difficult time for me. So much has happened in the past 8 months or so, and I'm happy about most of it, although I feel down at the moment. I'm still Nightwish obsessed, but there are **no lyrics** in this chapter! Oh my goddess! Well, there are, but not long chunks of them, and people say them. Heh. Anyways …

**Dedication** : Well, I'd like to dedicate this to a few people. The first is one of my best friends, Erin. I've only known her since last July, but she is one of the most amazing people I know. She's always there when I need her to be, and I love her so much. The second person is Adriana. I've only known her a few months, and I've not actually met her, but she is a great person. She's my adopted mummy, and I love her so much. The third and last person is my boyfriend, Davie. There's not much to say about him really. I just love him so much, more than I could ever say in words. This is for you guys. You are three of the only things I live for in life.

I feel like I should do a summary, but at the moment I'm too tired. I'll do one tomorrow.

**YES I KNOW SHE IS A MARY SUE AND I HAVE LOTS OF OC'S. NOW DON'T GO ON ABOUT IT. THIS WAS MY FIRST FIC.**

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Aurora could feel the water around her. She could feel it coldness, freezing on her body. Her dress clung to her, crushing her arms and legs. Slowly she opened her eyes. All was dark around her. The water was black, surrounding her. She could feel herself needing to breathe. Her head was not that far from the surface. Just one stroke and she could be back at that surface, gasping for breath. But she could not move her arms or legs. The intense cold had frozen them, making her arms go stiff to her sides.

With one deep breath she brought water into her lungs. It was as cold and harsh inside her as it had been on the outside. She could feel herself chocking on the coldness. It had frozen her throat, her vocal chords and now it was freezing her lungs. Freezing inside of her, like her cold heart, and her cold mind. She was dead to the world, and the world was dead to her. She was needed by no one. She did not need to exist. She was nothing. No one.

_>But you are Chosen!_ Suddenly a voice, inside her head.

_>Nothing… I am no one …_

_>You are someone. You matter._

_>No. No one needs me any more, Will. I'm small and insignificant. I've been abandoned by all except you._

_ >And I will always be here for you._

Aurora knew that she would be crying by now if she was out of the water. _>But …_

The water swirled around her. She could see the surface approaching above her. The water was pulling or pushing her upwards. This was one of Will's gifts, being able to control the weather, tides, and water. Slowly she broke the surface, and she found herself standing back on the sea ledge, not too far from where the waves were breaking.

"Rora?"

Aurora looked to one side of her, and saw Will standing there. He was soaked from head to toe, his long dark hair matted with sand and water, where he had obviously gone under the water looking for her. She gave him a weak smile, but then started to cough, bringing up all of the water from her lungs. Will waded over and supported her gently as she coughed and coughed. When she had eventually stopped, she looked up into his eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Will said nothing but smiled gently at her. Supporting her by now putting his arm around her, they walked slowly back through the sea to the beach.

"Why did you try to do it Rora?" he asked quietly.

"Because no one loves me," she croaked, her vocal chords, throat and lungs still hurting from being damaged by the water. "I've been deserted by everyone. My family, Draco, Addie …"

"I love you. I will _never_ desert you."

Looking into his bright blue eyes, Aurora could see that this was true. Will's eyes spoke volumes to her, like they always did. The intense love of her was still there, shining deep below the surface.

"The light will never go out, as long as I live."

Aurora sighed. "Why do we find it so difficult to move on?"

Will pulled her down beside him to sit on a rock. "You seem to have moved on pretty well."

"I haven't. It seems that I have, but I haven't. I mean, I love Draco to bits, but I still love you. I always will."

Will cupped one hand under her chin and brought it up do their eyes met again. "You do?"

"I will always love you, Will."

Will looked deep into her eyes, then moved forwards and kissed her gently. Aurora started to kiss back, then stopped and drew back.

"I can't," she sighed. "I just … can't."

"You love me, I love you. Simple as that."

"But I love Draco too, and he loves me."

"Not as much as me."

"I think you'll have to contest that with him," she smiled.

Looking down at herself, she could see there was blood all down her dress, which had once been white. "Should I dress in white and search the sea?" she whispered, reciting a line from one of her favourite songs. She remembered now that her arm had been bleeding severely, as well as her stomach and legs. She could still feel the stinging of the salt in her wounds, but somehow she did not care. It was not like she had not cut herself before …

Will took her arm gently. It was obvious that he was reading her thoughts. Holding his hand above it, he healed it slowly. Aurora could feel it tingling as he did so.

"Will it scar?" she asked as he healed her legs.

"I think it might, especially your arm." He traced his fingers over some old scar tissue. Aurora felt it burn hot, and she flinched away. "Sorry," Will muttered. "I had no idea …"

"No one knows. And that is the way it shall stay."

"Not even Draco?"

"No."

Aurora stood, changing from her blood-stained dress to a simple t-shirt and jeans as she rose. Will stood up too, and wrapped a blanket around them that he pulled from thin air. Aurora pulled up her t-shirt so that he could heal her stomach. His sorcery flowed into her, and she could feel it warming as well as healing. When he had finished, he rested one hand gently on her stomach, which was now very warm. The tension between them was immense. Slowly Aurora leant forwards and kissed Will gently. He returned the kiss, drawing her closer to him.

After a time, he drew back. "But what about Draco?" he asked.

"Oh, fuck Draco," she answered. "He betrayed me."

Will raised one eyebrow at her, then wrapped his arms around her, kissing her, and translocated them back to his flat. This time Aurora got there without taking any detours. He literally slammed her against a wall and started to kiss her. Will had always been very rough, very hot and cold with Aurora. Draco had been a constant love, and always gentle with her. She kissed Will passionately, knowing that this was wrong, but feeling that it was so right. Everything with Will felt right. Everything with Will always felt so right.

Aurora drew back and sighed again. Will stared at her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm torn. Completely. It feels like a knife inside me, and every time I kiss you it digs that little bit deeper."

"I know you're torn. Just do what your heart at this moment tells you to."

"Right now it says be with you, even though I know I shouldn't be."

"Isn't being on dangerous ground one of your things?"

"True," Aurora smiled.

She kissed him again, placing her arms gently around his waist. He kissed back, stroking her cheek gently. They moved closer to the bedroom …

Draco sat, alone, in his bedroom. In front of him on the desk was a quill and an empty piece of paper. He could feel nothing. He was numb. Aurora's letter was in one of his hands. Tears ran down his pale cheeks, and they had been running since she had left. All connection with her had been severed. She was out of his mind completely.

Thoughts started flowing through his mind. Surely she had known that he was under a curse? That he would never treat her like that? He had been but a puppet in plans far bigger than he could have ever imagined. It seemed that he was always but a puppet.

"Puppet girl, your strings are mine …" he whispered in a broken voice. He was just that. Broken.

There was a knock at the door. Before he even had time to say "come in", his father entered. Draco moved away from him.

"I told you I did not want to see you, father," he said.

"And I told you that you _would_ see me, Draco."

"After what you did to me …"

"It had to be done, my son."

"Don't call me that. I do not want to have anything to do with you."

"Well, the master wishes to see you."

"I do not wish to see him."

"He will not be pleased, but I do not want to have to drag you there. Sometimes I wish you were not such a sulky teenager, Draco."

"You try having your girlfriend thinking you hate her and have been plotting against her all along, then running off with another boy."

Lucius sighed. "Such is life." He turned then and swept out of the room.

Draco broke down and wept once more.

Aurora lay in Will's arms, on his bed. Somehow she felt relieved and as if she belonged there. Slowly she turned over to face Will. She smiled slightly at him. "Are you alright?" she asked, seeing his face was a bit glum.

Will looked at her, unblinking, for a few seconds. Is face was thoughtful as he answered. "While we were … well, you know …"

Aurora raised one eyebrow slightly at him. "Yes?"

"Well, were you imagining it was …?"

"Draco?"

"Yes."

"No, I was imagining it was Eminem," she giggled.

Will looked fake hurt, and Aurora poked his cheek.

"I was thinking of no one but you, silly," she said, tapping the end of his nose with her fingers gently. "Anyway, how could I imagine it was Draco when I haven't even slept with him?"

"You … haven't?"

Aurora shook her head. "No. He was always on about waiting for the right time and all of that shit."

"So your usual plan of seduction didn't work!"

Aurora stuck out her tongue at him.

"Oi you!" Will exclaimed.

Aurora squealed as he pulled her hair, and clambered semi-naked out of the bed. She ran out of the bedroom and into the living room, closely followed by a half-dressed Will. Tripping over some of her belongings that were scattered randomly around the flat, she now crawled away from him. A hand caught her ankle and she ground to a halt. Will turned her over roughly and semi-lay on top of her.

"Roar," he said in the most unconvincing way possible. "Got you."

Aurora giggled. "I can see that."

Will kissed her and she returned it passionately, drawing him closer to her by encircling him with her arms. His hands felt her bare stomach, caressing her flesh, making it feel almost on fire. They were so totally absorbed in the moment that neither of them heard the knocking on the front door. When it burst open, Will jumped up, and Aurora giggled.

"Will?" called a feminine voice.

"Um … yes Amme?"

Aurora, still giggling, rolled over onto her front and whispered "Tyalie", causing Will's CD player to jerk into life. "Nightwish?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah. They aren't as bad as I originally thought."

"See?"

Olivia entered the room, took one look at the state of undress both Aurora and Will were in, and could not suppress a smile. "Am I disturbing you two?" she asked.

"Not at all Liv," Aurora answered. Will coughed, and she smirked.

"Good," said Liv. "Your father asked me to come and check you are alright, and judging by this, you are."

"Did everyone get the letters I sent them!

"Indeed they did."

"How is Ada?"

"Better now I've seen to him," Olivia winked.

"Honestly, Liv, you're as bad as he is." Aurora motioned towards Will, who was sitting on the sofa reading something.

"Where do you think he gets it from?"

"That is true." Aurora paused. "So why are you here, other than to check up on me? You could have seen I was alright from where you were."

"Ah yes. I'm here to tell you that there will be another council meeting tomorrow night."

"To announce father's return?"

"Amongst other things, yes. Seven o'clock sharp, the usual place."

Olivia turned to go, but Aurora caught her hand. "Will he be there?"

"I am unsure. Perhaps," Olivia shrugged.

Aurora stood to say goodbye to her. She kissed Olivia's cheek, and as she did, she felt a strange tingling sensation go through her. Her head felt as if it were on fire, and she dropped to her knees, screaming with pain, as visions hit her.

#A girl screaming as a knife cut marks into her skin. A cold dark laugh. Darkness. Then fire. All around the vision, fire. People screaming. The laugh again. A wolf following a small blonde haired child. A drum beat. Dancing. Celebration. Then rain. Tears. Another girl, clothed all in white. An older woman by her side. Another one behind her. Power radiating from them. The laugh again. Coldness. Tears. Darkness.#

Aurora opened her eyes, and the light hit her like a lightening bolt, sending shockwaves through her tired body. She could feel her self-inflicted wounds opening again, the pain ripping through her skin like fire. Something was inside her mind, clawing at her soul, at her very existence. Trying to struggle, she knew she could never win. Finally she surrendered, letting it take over her. Everything went black.

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Well. There you go. Hope you enjoyed it. Please comment. 


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